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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Physics => Topic started by: #1procrastinator on August 16, 2011, 06:11:34 pm

Title: Atoms and isotopes
Post by: #1procrastinator on August 16, 2011, 06:11:34 pm

Are all atoms isotopes?

With lighter elements, most have equal number of protons and neutrons and those without more or less neutrons are considered isotopes, but when you go to heavier elements, it's not.

So say a hypothetical heavy element is discovered, how would one determine if it were the isotopic form of the the element or not?

Title: Re: Atoms and isotopes
Post by: mardat on August 18, 2011, 06:52:51 pm

An isotope is simply a variation on the number of neutrons in an atom - for example C-12, C-13, C-14 are all isotopes. You could also have C-15, C-16 etc, although it would be extremely unlikely to find such isotopes

So yes, all atoms are isotopes.

Title: Re: Atoms and isotopes
Post by: #1procrastinator on August 23, 2011, 05:38:57 pm

^ Thanks