Word
isotope
Phoneticsiso·tope
US/ˈaɪsəˌtoʊp/
UK/ˈaɪsətˌəʊp/
Definition
n. a form of a chemical element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.
n. any of two or more forms of a chemical element where the atoms have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons within their nuclei.
Examples
“Carbon-14 is a famous isotope used to find the age of old objects.”
“Scientists analyzed the oxygen isotope ratios in the ice core to determine historical temperature fluctuations.”
“The medical team utilized a specific radioactive isotope for the diagnostic scan, ensuring the tracer would decay rapidly enough to minimize the patient's overall radiation exposure.”
Examples
simple
“Carbon-14 is a famous isotope used to find the age of old objects.”
contextual
“Scientists analyzed the oxygen isotope ratios in the ice core to determine historical temperature fluctuations.”
complex
“The medical team utilized a specific radioactive isotope for the diagnostic scan, ensuring the tracer would decay rapidly enough to minimize the patient's overall radiation exposure.”
Usage
Countable noun; often identified by the element name followed by the mass number.
Teaching tip
While this is a highly technical term, it is essential for students discussing archaeology, nuclear energy, or advanced biology.
Real-World Examples
“To trace where these compounds came from, the researchers labeled proteins with stable (non-radioactive) isotopes and followed their digestion in the mouse gut.” “In particular, the researchers measured strontium isotopes in tooth enamel.” Etymology
From iso- (“equal”) + -tope (“place”), because the different isotopes of an element always occupy the same place in the periodic table. The term was coined by Scottish doctor Margaret Todd in 1909 and first used publicly on February 27, 1913 by English chemist Frederick Soddy.
Possible back-formation from isotopy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/isotope