Versions of the same chemical element that have different numbers of neutrons, making them different weights but similar chemical properties.
From Greek 'iso' (equal) and 'topos' (place), literally meaning 'equal place' because they occupy the same place on the periodic table. The term was coined by scientist Frederick Soddy in 1913.
Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 are isotopes of the same element, and scientists use Carbon-14's radioactive decay to figure out how old ancient artifacts are—basically using atoms as a clock!
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