Isotopes

Elements have standard atomic numbers, but different molecular masses are isotopes. An isotope of an element possesses almost similar chemical properties as other elements or other isotopes of that particular element. Isotopes have the same no. of protons in their outer shell. They differ by the number of neutrons present in their nuclei.

Understanding the concept of isotopes is necessary for students. Students easily grasp the related concepts and chemical properties of other elements if they understand isotopes with focus. 

About Isotopes

Definition,

In brief, Isotopes are general elements, but they are termed isotopes of particular elements if they have the same atomic number and different mass number.

Examples: 1H, 2H,3H are isotopes of hydrogen

22C, 12C, 16C are isotopes of carbon

16O, 17O, and 18O are oxygen isotopes.

Lifespan of isotopes

A radioactive isotope is decayed into another element after its lifespan, while a stable atom does not decay shortly. Every isotope has a different lifespan. The term half-life of an isotope describes the time it takes for isotopes to decay their half atoms or lose half energy. Stable atoms have a long half lifespan or have no half-lifespan, but radioactive isotopes can be calculated upon knowing the existence of that particular radioactive isotope. E.g., the half lifespan of an isotope of oxygen, oxygen-15, is 2.04 minutes and that of an isotope of Zinc-65 is 244 days.

History

The term isotopes combine the Greek dictionary words ‘isos’ and ‘topos,’ conveying top and place or ‘same place.’ Frederick Soddy, a radiochemistry scientist, first suggested isotopes; in 1913, Soddy expressed that some elements can occupy the same place in the periodic table of some elements, which became known as isotopes. Henry Hyman and other scientists played an important role in further explaining isotopes.

Characteristics of Isotopes

• Isotopes have the same number of protons  but different numbers of neutrons.
• Isotopes of elements have a different number of neutrons present in their nuclei.
•  Isotopes have the same chemical properties as their element.
•  Isotopes occupy the same place in the periodic table as their elements.
• Isotopes of elements have the same atomic number but different  mass number.

Types of isotopes

There are mainly two types of isotopes 1.) Radioactive isotopes or Radioisotopes 2.) Stable isotopes. There are 339 known isotopes, and 286 are termed primordial isotopes; primordial isotopes have existed since before the formation of planet earth.

Radioactive isotopes

The isotopes whose nuclei lose all their energy by radiation and decay into other elements are radioactive, radioisotopes, or radionuclides. They can also be said to be unstable isotopes. An abundant number of radioisotopes are known by science, but only a few are found in nature. Some noteworthy examples are: Tritium, one of the hydrogen isotopes, radioactive, carbon-14, and carbon-15, are examples of unstable carbon isotopes.

Stable isotopes

are the opposite of radioisotopes; Stable isotopes do not decay into other elements during the process of radiation. As per surveys, there are 254 known stable isotopes on earth. Some noteworthy examples are that deuterium and protium are stable isotopes of hydrogen, and oxygen-16 and oxygen-18 are unstable oxygen isotopes.

Difference between radioactive and stable isotopes

Properties of isotopes

Physical properties

Isotopes have the same number of electrons as an atom of that element but different number of neutrons present in nuclei, while melting and boiling points of isotopes are different from that of the element; Mass and density also vary from isotope to isotope.

Chemical properties

Chemical properties are similar to the other isotopes of similar elements. There is an anomaly of the isotope of hydrogen, Number of neutrons present in nuclei impacts the size of the nucleus of a hydrogen molecule.

Uses of isotopes

Isotopes are not only elements or molecules. They are also helpful; isotopes are used in many significant fields like agriculture, medicines, food industries, pest controls, labs, etc.

Isotopes in agriculture

Agricultural sectors use isotopes mainly; when Radioisotopes get decayed, they emit energy and rays that are the reason for using isotopes in agriculture. Isotopes are used to find new variants of crops. Isotopes can also bring back similar variants of extinct or drought crops. Isotopes are used in crops to increase agricultural yield. It can be used as a research tool to find new strains of drought or extinct crops.

Isotopes in the food industry

Food industries use isotopes to execute a process called food irradiation. Radioactive isotopes emit rays called alpha, beta, and gamma, which are very useful for improving the quality of the product. These isotopes remove bacteria, moulds, or pests from food and crops to a certain extent or purify them.

Isotopes used in medicines

Isotopes are used to diagnose infections in the heart, bones, liver, and many crucial organs of our body. They are used to examine or treat infections of the human body. Isotopes can also treat diseased organs or tumours, which are significant problems. Some isotopes used in medicines are iodine-131, cobalt-60, fluorine-18, etc.

Other uses

Scientists use the stable isotopes of different elements like oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, sulphur, etc. These isotopes are used as geochemistry tools to research various minerals and rocks. Radioactive isotopes are also used in pest control, archaeology, enlightenment of food, etc.

Conclusion

Above from here, we came through all topics related to Isotopes. We learned the history, meaning, characteristics, types, properties, and uses. It is necessary to have isotope’s topics covered clearly to prepare well for exams. Concepts of isotopes are basic but crucial to learning. This brief note about isotopes can help you understand isotope concepts more quickly.