Isotope

Isotopes are different forms of the same chemical element, which means they have the same number of protons but varying numbers of neutrons in their atomic nuclei. This difference in neutrons leads to varying atomic masses, but they often have similar chemical properties. For example, carbon has stable isotopes like carbon-12 and carbon-13, as well as the radioactive carbon-14, which is used in dating ancient organic materials. Isotopes play significant roles in fields such as medicine, archaeology, and environmental science.