Isotopes and Average Atomic Mass

Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have a different number of neutrons in their nucleusA membrane-bound organelle in eukaryotic cells that contains DNA.. They have the same number of protons, which means they have the same atomic number and are therefore the same element. However, they have a different atomic mass due to their different number of neutrons.

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Isotopes can be stable or radioactive, and they can occur naturally or be artificially produced. Radioactive isotopes are unstable and they decay over time, emitting radiation in the process. They can be used in a variety of applications, including medical imaging, food preservation, and research.

The average atomic mass of an element is the weighted average of the atomic masses of its isotopes, taking into account the abundance of each isotopeVariants of a chemical element with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons; some are stable, others (like carbon-14) are radioactive.. It is typically expressed in atomic mass units (amu), and it is used to compare the relative masses of different elements.