isotope

[ahy-suh-tohp] /ˈaɪ səˌtoʊp/
noun, Chemistry
1.
any of two or more forms of a chemical element, having the same number of protons in the nucleus, or the same atomic number, but having different numbers of neutrons in the nucleus, or different atomic weights. There are 275 isotopes of the 81 stable elements, in addition to over 800 radioactive isotopes, and every element has known isotopic forms. Isotopes of a single element possess almost identical properties.
Origin
1910-15; iso- + -tope < Greek tópos place
Related forms
isotopic
[ahy-suh-top-ik] /ˌaɪ səˈtɒp ɪk/ (Show IPA), adjective
isotopically, adverb
Examples from the web for isotope
  • The sales pitch is irresistible: the principal fuel, a heavy isotope of hydrogen called deuterium, can be extracted from water.
  • More tellingly, radioactive-isotope dating suggests that they are the same age.
  • The reactor would run on an isotope of hydrogen, an abundant source of fuel that can be extracted from water.
  • They discovered the first long-lived isotope of the element protactinium.
  • On its own, the uranium isotope used in nuclear reactors will decay slowly, releasing a minimal amount of heat.
  • There are also other isotope ratios that need to be explained.
  • And the heavier oxygen from a natural process that left more of the light isotope in the part of the nebula that made the sun.
  • Maximum efficiency for doing this is different for each element and each isotope of that element.
  • The longer the decay lifetime, the less the radiation emitted per gram of radio-isotope.
  • Most of this radiation exposure occurs to the kidneys and bladder as the isotope is removed from the body.
British Dictionary definitions for isotope

isotope

/ˈaɪsəˌtəʊp/
noun
1.
one of two or more atoms with the same atomic number that contain different numbers of neutrons
Derived Forms
isotopic (ˌaɪsəˈtɒpɪk) adjective
isotopically, adverb
isotopy (aɪˈsɒtəpɪ) noun
Word Origin
C20: from iso- + Greek topos place
Word Origin and History for isotope
n.

1913, literally "having the same place," introduced by British chemist Frederick Soddy (1877-1956) on suggestion of Margaret Todd, from Greek isos "equal" (see iso-) + topos "place" (see topos); so called because despite the different atomic weights, the various forms of an element occupy the same place on the periodic table.

isotope in Medicine

isotope i·so·tope (ī'sə-tōp')
n.
One of two or more atoms having the same atomic number but different mass numbers.

i'so·top'ic (-tŏp'ĭk) adj.
isotope in Science
isotope
  (ī'sə-tōp')   
One of two or more atoms that have the same atomic number (the same number of protons) but a different number of neutrons. Carbon 12, the most common form of carbon, has six protons and six neutrons, whereas carbon 14 has six protons and eight neutrons. Isotopes of a given element typically behave alike chemically. With the exception of hydrogen, elements found on Earth generally have the same number of protons and neutrons; heavier and lighter isotopes (with more or fewer neutrons) are often unstable and undergo radioactive decay.
isotope in Culture
isotope [(eye-suh-tohp)]

In physics, different forms of the same element, with nuclei that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. Isotopes are distinguished from each other by giving the combined number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For example, uranium 235 is the isotope of uranium that has 235 protons and neutrons in its nucleus rather than the more commonly occurring 238. All elements have isotopes.

Slang definitions & phrases for isotope

isotope

noun

A nearly identical person; near double: Like his isotope Paglia, Rush Limbaugh can be counted on to bury the occasional nugget of truth beneath his avalanche of infuriating extrapolation and phony statistics/It actually IS you. Or an isotope of you. Or a photocopy of you

[1990s+; fr the term denoting nearly identical atoms in a chemical element]