Isotopes

1. Isotopes are atoms of element with the same number of protons but different
number of neutrons.
2. Isotopes of an element have the same:
Number of protons
Number of electrons
Electronic configuration
Chemical properties (because they have the same number of valance
electrons)
3. Isotopes of an element have the different:
Number of neutrons
Mass
Density
Molecular speed
*note that isotopes have different physical properties due to the different number
of neutrons.
4. The relative amount of each isotope of an element is called the relative
abundance or isotopic abundance. It can be expressed in terms of
percentage or ratio.

Stability of isotopes
1. The nuclei of certain isotopes are unstable due to the presence of too many
protons or neutrons, these nuclei will disintegrate spontaneously to form nucleus
or smaller atoms known as daughter nuclei with the emission of high energy
radiations or particles.
2. The unstable isotopes are called radioactive isotopes or radioisotopes.
3. The process of disintegration is known as radioactive decay.
4. Since the reaction involves only the nucleus, it is called the nuclear reaction.
5. When a radioisotope decays, a new isotope will be formed.
6. The stability of isotopes depends on the neutron to proton ratio.
7. The graph of the number of neutrons against the number of protons of stable
isotopes. The stable isotopes form a band known as the stability belt. Isotopes
whose lies outside this belt (either too many neutrons or protons) are unstable
and will undergo radioactive decay.
8. Stable isotopes with proton numbers between1 to 20 usually have almost the
same number of protons and neutrons. As example, 12C has six protons and six
neutrons and 14N has seven protons and seven neutrons.
9. As the proton number increases, the number of neutrons will exceed the number
of protons. This is to overcome the repulsive forces between the protons in the
small nucleus. For example, 79Br has 35 protons and 44 neutrons while 235U has 92
protons and 143 neutrons.