Element
isotope Audio
i·so·tope [ ahy-suh-tohp ]
Subclass of:
Inorganic Chemicals
Etymology:
Greek isos = equal + topos = place
Definitions related to isotopes:
  • A form of a chemical element containing a specific number of neutrons and a specific atomic mass.
    NCI Thesaurus
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • A form of a chemical element in which the atoms have the same number of protons (part of the nucleus of an atom) but with a different number of neutrons (part of the nucleus of an atom). For example, carbon 12, carbon 13, and carbon 14 are isotopes of carbon. They all have six protons in the nucleus, but each has different number of neutrons. Isotopes may be used in certain medical tests and procedures.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Atomic species differing in mass number but having the same atomic number. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
Try this search on: Farlex, Merriam-Webster, Oxford Dictionary, or Wordnik

This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.