Isóótópar

Isóótópar are atoms of the same chemical element that have different numbers of neutrons. All atoms of a given element have the same number of protons, which defines the element. However, the number of neutrons in the nucleus can vary, leading to different isotopes of that element. These variations in neutron number result in different mass numbers for the isotopes. The chemical properties of an element are primarily determined by the number of protons and electrons, so isotopes of an element generally exhibit very similar chemical behavior. Their physical properties, however, can differ due to their different masses. For example, they may have slightly different densities or boiling points. Many elements occur naturally as a mixture of isotopes. Some isotopes are stable, meaning they do not undergo radioactive decay, while others are radioactive and decay over time, emitting radiation. Radioactive isotopes, also known as radioisotopes, have various applications in fields such as medicine, geology, and industry. The relative abundance of each isotope in a natural sample of an element is often expressed as a percentage or fraction. The concept of isotopes is fundamental to understanding atomic structure and nuclear chemistry.