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Unstable isotopes can spontaneously undergo changes, transforming them into other isotopes of the same or of different elements. Stable isotopes do not. Some isotopes are very unstable and exist for less than a second; others can exist for billions of years but still be unstable. Many elements consist of more than one isotope. One or more of these isotopes may be unstable.

In isotopes of an element, the nucleus contains different numbers of neutrons while the number of protons remains the same and determines how the atom behaves chemically. There are several types of instability (too few neutrons, too many neutrons) and several types of decay.

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13y ago
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11y ago

They decay to another isotope

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Q: How are isotopes different from stable atoms?
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What is the meaninq of two isotopes stable and unstable isotopes?

Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons. Stable isotopes have a balanced number of protons and neutrons, meaning their nuclei do not decay over time. Unstable isotopes, also known as radioactive isotopes, have an imbalance of protons and neutrons, causing their nuclei to decay and emit radiation over time.


Can isotopes have positive and negative charges?

Isotopes are just the different possible nuclear weights of each element. Some are stable; some are unstable and radioactive. Since all atoms are isotopes and all isotopes are atoms, Isotopes can - and do - form ions, consequently they can have positive and negative charges.


What isotopes are atoms of the same elements with different number of?

Isotopes are atoms of the same elements with different number of neutrons.


Do all lithium atoms have the same mass?

No. There are different isotopes of lithium which have different numbers of neutrons and thus different masses. There are two stable isotopes of lithium: Lithium-6 with 3 neutrons and Lithium-7 with 4 neutrons.


Is mixtures or isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons?

Atoms have isotopes: it is true, the isotopes of the same element have different number of neutrons.


Which of these atoms are isotopes 144Ce 144Nd 144Sm 145Nd?

144Nd and 145Nd are both isotopes of neodymium. Neodymium-145 is considered observationally stable. Isotopes are elements whose atoms differ in the number of neutrons.


What is the name for atoms of an element that have different masses?

An atom or element that have different masses are known as isotopes.


What are Atoms that vary in the number of neutrons found in their nuclei called?

Different elements with same number of neutrons are known as isotones.


What are atoms of the same element that have different neutron numbers called?

Every atom of the same element is also categorized by its number of neutrons. An atom with a certain number of neutrons is an "isotope." Two atoms of the same element (same quantity of protons) can be different isotopes (different quantity of neutrons). Some isotopes are unstable, so most stable isotopes of an element are withing a range of a few numbers. For example, stable isotopes of carbon are Carbon-12 and Carbon-13.


How are isotopes different from state atoms?

The atoms of a chemical element can exist in different types. These are called isotopes. They have the same number of protons (and electrons), but different numbers of neutrons. Different isotopes of the same element have different masses.


Where can isotopes be found?

elements are isotopes, when different atoms of the same element have different number of neutrons


isotopes are the same as ions?

Isotopes are atoms of an element having different number of neutrons.Ions are atoms with an electrical charge.