2007-03-28 07:26:10 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
As everyone said, they differ in the number of neutrons, so have a different mass. They react the samechemically. The mass listed on the periodic table is a weighted average of all the isotopes.(weighted by their abundance)
2007-03-28 08:36:55 · answer #1 · answered by science teacher 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Isotopes differ in the number of neutrons in the nucleus.
The element is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus (which equals the number of electrons), and is denoted by the ATOMIC NUMBER of the element. The Atomic number of Carbon, for example, is 6 -- there are 6 protons in the nucleus, and 6 electrons orbiting the neutral atom.
The number of protons plus the number of neutrons equals the ATOMIC MASS of an atom, and this is where the isotopic differences come into play.
Normal carbon is Carbon-12 == 6 protons and 6 neutrons. But the isotopes are:
Carbon-8 = 6 protons, 2 neutrons
Carbon-9 = 6 protons, 3 neutrons
Carbon-10 = 6 protons, 4 neutrons
Carbon-11 = 6 protons, 5 neutrons
Carbon-12 = 6 protons, 6 neutrons
Carbon-13 = 6 protons, 7 neutrons
Carbon-14 = 6 protons, 8 neutrons
Carbon-15 = 6 protons, 9 neutrons
Carbon-16 = 6 protons, 10 neutrons
Carbon-17 = 6 protons, 11 neutrons
Carbon-18 = 6 protons, 12 neutrons
Carbon-19 = 6 protons, 13 neutrons
Carbon-20 = 6 protons, 14 neutrons
Carbon-21 = 6 protons, 15 neutrons
Carbon-22 = 6 protons, 16 neutrons
2007-03-28 14:37:05 · answer #2 · answered by Dave_Stark 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Isotopes of an element differ from one another in the number of neutrons they possess and hence in their mass numbers. Being atoms of the same element they have the same numbers of protons and electrons.
2007-03-28 14:38:45 · answer #3 · answered by brisko389 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They always differ in the number of neutrons.
2007-03-28 14:34:25 · answer #4 · answered by Ernie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they have different number of neutrons
2007-03-28 15:30:47 · answer #5 · answered by dreamz 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋