What does the term isotopes refer to?

The term isotopes refers to atoms that have the same number of protons in their nucleus, which means they belong to the same element, but they differ in the number of neutrons. This difference in neutrons results in variations in their mass numbers, which is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

For example, carbon has isotopes like carbon-12 and carbon-14. Both have 6 protons (since they are carbon), but carbon-12 has 6 neutrons, while carbon-14 has 8 neutrons. This variation leads to distinct atomic masses for each isotope, even though they share the same chemical properties. Understanding isotopes is critical in many fields, including chemistry, physics, and medicine, where different isotopes can behave differently in reactions or processes, despite being the same element.