One of two or more atoms with the same atomic number (the same chemical element) but with different atomic weights An equivalent statement is that the nuclei of isotopes have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons Isotopes usually have the very nearly the same chemical properties, but somewhat different physical properties (DOE TRADE Glossary and Acronyms of Emergency Management Terms ORAU 91/K-37 November 1991 ) Back to Top
One of two or more atoms having the same atomic number but differing in atomic weight and mass number
Atoms of the same element that have equal numbers of protons, but different numbers of neutrons Isotopes of an element have the same atomic number by different atomic mass For example, uranium-238 and uranium-235
Two atoms of the same element but having different numbers of neutrons in the nucleus are called isotopes
Forms of the same element having identical chemical properties but differing in their atomic masses (due to different numbers of neutrons in their respective nuclei) and in their nuclear properties (e g , radioactivity, fission, etc ) For example, hydrogen has three isotopes, with masses of 1 (hydrogen), 2 (deuterium), and 3 (tritium) units, respectively The first two of these are stable (nonradioactive), but the third (tritium) is a radioactive isotope Both of the common isotopes of uranium, with masses of 235 and 238 units, respectively, are radioactive, emitting alpha particles, but their half-lives are different Furthermore, uranium-235 is fissionable by neutrons of all energies, but uranium-238 will undergo fission only with neutrons of high energy See Nucleus
Elements with the same number of protons but have different numbers of neutrons, and thus different masses Back to top K
Atoms of the same element which have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons in the nuclei Top
Two or more nuclides having an identical nuclear charge (i e same atomic number) but differing atomic mass Such substances have almost identical chemical properties but differing physical properties, and each is said to be an isotope of the element of a given atomic number The difference in mass is accounted for by the differing number of neutrons in the nucleus
Atoms of the same element that have equal numbers of protons, but different numbers of neutrons Isotopes of an element have the same atomic number but different atomic mass For example, uranium-238 and uranium-235
forms of the same element whose nuclei have the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons ex , uranium-234, uranium-235, and uranium-238
atoms of the same element (the same number of protons) with different numbers of neutrons They have identical atomic numbers but different mass numbers
Nuclei containing the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons Most elements can exist in several isotopic forms A common example of an isotope is deuterium, which differs from normal hydrogen by the presence of an extra neutron in the nucleus
Atoms of the same element having the same chemical properties but differing in mass and in the physical properties that depend on their mass
forms of the same chemical element that differ only by the number of neutrons in their nucleus Most elements have more than one naturally occurring isotope Many isotopes have been produced in reactors and scientific laboratories (BEMR, June 1996, pg GL-5)