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Simple Explanation:
Isotopes: Atoms that are classified within the same element due to their specific proton count, but vary in neutron count.
Stable Isotopes: Isotopes with stable nuclei, naturally lasts forever.
Radioactive Isotopes: Isotopes with unstable nuclei. These isotopes undergo radioactive decay by releasing particles and electromagnetic radiation.
Example: Isotopes of Hydrogen
They're all the same element, but vary in atomic mass.
Calculating Percent Abundance
Some isotopes are more commonly found than others. To calculate the percent abundance of a sample based on the information given, here is the formula:
m₁f₁ + m₂f₂ + ... = Average Atomic Mass
m = Mass of Isotope
f = Fractional Abundance of Isotope (Decimal Form)
Mass Spectrometry
A mass spectrometer is a machine that can separate isotopes of a sample based on charge:mass ratio.
Particles in the sample are first ionized to create a charge and then accelerated through a curved pathway. A magnet field deflects the ions, and the new pathways vary based on mass. When ions hit the detector, a graph can be made to represent the percent abundance of the sample's isotopes.
The higher the peak, the more abundant an isotope is.
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