Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons and electrons but different numbers of neutrons and therefore have different physical properties.
[technical]
...tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen.
isotope in British English
(ˈaɪsəˌtəʊp)
noun
one of two or more atoms with the same atomic number that contain different numbers of neutrons
Derived forms
isotopic (ˌaɪsəˈtɒpɪk)
adjective
isotopically (ˌisoˈtopically)
adverb
isotopy (aɪˈsɒtəpɪ)
noun
Word origin
C20: from iso- + Greek topos place
isotope in American English
(ˈaɪsəˌtoʊp)
noun
any of two or more forms of an element having the same or very closely related chemical properties and the same atomic number but different atomic weights (or mass numbers)
U-235, U-238, and U-239 are three isotopes of uranium
Derived forms
isotopic (ˌisoˈtopic) (ˌaɪsəˈtɑpɪk; ˌaɪsəˈtoʊpɪk)
adjective
isotopically (ˌisoˈtopically)
adverb
isotopy (iˈsotopy) (aɪˈsɑtəpi; ˈaɪsəˌtoʊpi)
noun
Word origin
< iso- + Gr topos, place: see topic
Examples of 'isotope' in a sentence
isotope
Abramanov named it 114m because it was the fourteenth isotope created from the event.
Lustbader, Eric FLOATING CITY (1994)
In other languages
isotope
British English: isotope NOUN
Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons and electrons but different numbers of neutrons and therefore have different physical properties.