Every element provides a couple of isotopes which are of very different use.
For example, carbon has a radioactive isotope (14C).
You can, for example, grow bacteria on a modified substrate which contains the radioactive isotope instead of normal carbon.
The resulting generation will inherit carbon in it's cellular substance which is not only heavier (14 instead of 12 nucleons) but also emits measurable radiation.
These features can be used to reconstruate cellular growth processes, as well as in other organisms bodily functions and development.
Hydrogen has three isotopes, one of them deuterium (features one neutron), which makes it twice as heavy as normal hydrogen. D2O water is therefore much heavier than normal H2O water. As water is widely used in most metabolic pathways, "marking" with D2O can let you find the isotope in different parts of the organism and it's products. For example, a plant can be fed with D2O, afterwards you can see how much of it was metabolized and used for building biological substance, and how much of it was transpirated through the leaves.
Isotopes are different types of atoms (nuclides) of the same chemical element, each having a different number of neutrons.Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons; the different possible versions of each element are called isotopes. For example, the most common isotope of hydrogen has no neutrons at all; there's also a hydrogen isotope called deuterium, with one neutron, and another, tritium, with two neutrons.
In a corresponding manner, isotopes differ in mass number (or number of nucleons) but never in atomic number.[1] The number of protons (the atomic number) is the same because that is what characterizes a chemical element. For example, carbon-12, carbon-13 and carbon-14 are three isotopes of the element carbon with mass numbers 12, 13 and 14, respectively. The atomic number of carbon is 6, so the neutron numbers in these isotopes of carbon are therefore 12−6 = 6, 13−6 = 7, and 14-6 = 8, respectively
Uranium with a specific isotope is used for nuclear bombs Uranium with a specific isotope is used for nuclear bombs
Isotopes are elements with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. They are useful for radiometric dating because they decay at predictable and measurable amounts.
Doctors can use radioactive isotopes to treat certain types of cancer, such as prostate cancer. Geologists use isotopes to date some rocks and fossils.
Some imaging uses radioactive isotopes to see various parts of the body.
One would use radioactive isotopes as to measure decay rates in an ancient piece (e.g. rock) to estimate its age. e.g. carbon dating
Depending on the stability of the isotopes and what we want to use it for, I say it gives us more variety for what we want to do with it in chemistry
Isotopes. They differ in the number of neutrons in the nucleus.
The medical test used isotopes.
Doctors can use radioactive isotopes to treat certain types of cancer, such as prostate cancer. Geologists use isotopes to date some rocks and fossils.
All nuclear medicine techniques use radioactive isotopes.
Scientists use the relative amount of stable and unstable isotopes in an object to determine its age.
Some imaging uses radioactive isotopes to see various parts of the body.
One would use radioactive isotopes as to measure decay rates in an ancient piece (e.g. rock) to estimate its age. e.g. carbon dating
The use of nuclear energy in civilian society is to generate electricity. In the military it is to make bombs (and hopefully not use them). There are also some uses in medicine where radio isotopes can be used for diagnosis and treatment. These isotopes are produced by irradiation in low power reactors which enable short lived radio isotopes to be obtained as required.
mass formula
Isotopes decay (half-life) at different, predictable rates. Mathematical formulae have been worked out to show how the percentage of decay in known isotopes can date a particular specimen.
Depending on the stability of the isotopes and what we want to use it for, I say it gives us more variety for what we want to do with it in chemistry
Isotopes. They differ in the number of neutrons in the nucleus.
Possible use of radium isotopes for the radiotherapy of some cancers.