What is an isotope?

An isotope is defined as atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This definition is fundamental in understanding isotopes because the number of protons in an atom determines its elemental identity, while variations in the number of neutrons lead to different atomic masses of the same element.

For example, carbon-12 and carbon-14 are two isotopes of carbon. Both have six protons (which makes them carbon), but carbon-12 has six neutrons, whereas carbon-14 has eight neutrons. This difference in neutron count is what distinguishes the two isotopes, despite them being the same element.

Understanding this concept is crucial in various scientific fields, including chemistry, physics, and environmental science, especially when it comes to applications like radiocarbon dating, which relies on the isotopes of carbon to estimate the age of organic materials.