Isotopes are different forms of the same element. They have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. This difference affects how they behave in different ways:
Mass Differences: When there are extra neutrons, the atomic mass goes up. This can change physical properties, like boiling and melting points.
Stability: Some isotopes are stable, like Carbon-12, which makes up about 98.89% of all carbon. Others are unstable, like Carbon-14, which is very rare. Unstable isotopes are radioactive, meaning they can break down over time.
Reactivity: How an element reacts in chemical reactions mainly depends on its electrons, which isotopes share. So, isotopes usually react in similar ways. However, if the mass difference is big, they might react differently because of something called kinetic isotope effects.
In summary, isotopes don’t really change how an element reacts. But their special traits are important in areas like nuclear chemistry and medicine.
Isotopes are different forms of the same element. They have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. This difference affects how they behave in different ways:
Mass Differences: When there are extra neutrons, the atomic mass goes up. This can change physical properties, like boiling and melting points.
Stability: Some isotopes are stable, like Carbon-12, which makes up about 98.89% of all carbon. Others are unstable, like Carbon-14, which is very rare. Unstable isotopes are radioactive, meaning they can break down over time.
Reactivity: How an element reacts in chemical reactions mainly depends on its electrons, which isotopes share. So, isotopes usually react in similar ways. However, if the mass difference is big, they might react differently because of something called kinetic isotope effects.
In summary, isotopes don’t really change how an element reacts. But their special traits are important in areas like nuclear chemistry and medicine.