What are Isotopes?

How are they used?

…and a song to cheer you up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFIvXVMbII0&feature=related

Atoms with the same atomic number but with different atomic masses are called

isotopes

Another way to say it:

Atoms of the same element with differing numbers of neutrons

Isotopes have identical chemical properties, yet have very different nuclear properties.

Remember:

Protons determine the element

Electrons determine the chemical properties

Neutrons determine the isotope

For example, there are three isotopes of hydrogen.

Two of these isotopes are stable, (not radioactive), but tritium (one proton and two neutrons) is unstable.

Most elements have stable isotopes.

Radioactive isotopes can also be

created for many elements.

What are isotopes used for???

• Mostly in medicine

• Archeology to date how old things are

• Smoke detectors

• Irradiation in pest control

• Food irradiation

• Agriculture application – radioactive tracers

• http://www.chem.duke.edu/~jds/cruise_chem/nuclear/uses.html

• What is gamma radiation?High energy electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from an atom's nucleus has no mass or electrical charge has high penetrating power, and can pass though the human body

• What is beta radiations? An electron emitted when a neutron becomes a proton, moving at nearly the speed of light. Beta particles can penetrate paper or several millimeters of skin, and like alpha particles, are very dangerous when substances emitting them are ingested or inhaled

• What is Alpha radiation? Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle (two protons and two neutrons bound together into a particle identical to a helium nucleus) and is the most energetic but least penetrating form of radiation. It can be stopped by a sheet of paper and cannot penetrate human skin