isotoobs

Isotoops is a term that refers to isotopes of an element. Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element which differ in neutron number, and consequently in nucleon number. All isotopes of a given element have the same number of protons in each atom. This means they occupy the same place in the periodic table, hence the name "isotope" (from Greek ἴσος isos "equal" and τόπος topos "place").

The number of neutrons in the nucleus of an atom is not fixed for all atoms of a given element. For example, the element hydrogen has three known isotopes: protium, deuterium, and tritium. Protium, the most common isotope of hydrogen, has one proton and no neutrons. Deuterium has one proton and one neutron. Tritium has one proton and two neutrons. Despite their different neutron counts, all three are forms of hydrogen and exhibit similar chemical properties because they all have one proton.

Isotopes can be stable or unstable. Unstable isotopes, also known as radioactive isotopes or radioisotopes, undergo radioactive decay, emitting particles or energy to become more stable. This decay process has numerous applications in fields such as medicine (imaging and treatment), archaeology (radiocarbon dating), and industry. Stable isotopes, on the other hand, do not undergo radioactive decay and are often used as tracers in scientific research. The relative abundance of isotopes of an element can vary slightly depending on the source.