What are isotopes? Give an example also.

Isotopes are variants of an element that have the same number of protons but differ in the number of neutrons in their atomic nuclei. In other words, isotopes of an element have the same atomic number but different mass numbers. This means they have slightly different atomic weights.

For example, let's consider the element carbon. Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has six protons in its nucleus. However, carbon can have different isotopes. The most common isotope of carbon is carbon-12, which has six neutrons in addition to its six protons. This gives it a mass number of 12 (6 protons + 6 neutrons = 12). Carbon-12 is stable and makes up about 99% of the carbon found on Earth.

Another isotope of carbon is carbon-13, which also has six protons but seven neutrons, resulting in a mass number of 13. Carbon-13 is a stable isotope, but it is less abundant than carbon-12, making up only about 1% of naturally occurring carbon.

There is also a rare radioactive isotope of carbon called carbon-14. Carbon-14 has six protons and eight neutrons, giving it a mass number of 14. Carbon-14 is unstable and undergoes radioactive decay over time. It is used in carbon dating to determine the age of organic materials.

These different isotopes of carbon behave chemically in a similar manner, but their slight differences in atomic mass can be important in certain applications, such as scientific research, archaeology, and medicine.