Biology / Unit 1 Bio 0117 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Isotopes
Captions available
The idea
Isotopes are atoms of the same element that share the same number of protons but differ in their number of neutrons.
In practice
Carbon-12 has six neutrons and carbon-14 has eight, though both are carbon with six protons each.
Where people slip
Differing neutron counts change an atom's mass, not the element it belongs to.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Biology