Intro

Isotopes are alternate versions of elements with different atomic masses.(Photo:

isak55/iStock/Getty Images)

Isotopes are alternative versions of elements that have a different atomic mass
but the same atomic number. The atomic number of an element is determined by
the number of protons present on its atom, while the atomic mass is calculated
based on the present neutrons. Isotopes of the same element have different
amounts of neutrons, as compared to protons. There two main types of isotopes:
radioactive and stable. Both types are used widely in several industries and fields
of study.

Stable Isotopes

Stable isotopes do not decay and don't pose any dangerous effects to humans and living things.(Photo:
isak55/iStock/Getty Images)

Stable isotopes have a stable proton-neutron combination and do not

display any sign of decay. This stability comes from the amount of
neutrons present in an atom. If an atom has too many or too little
neutrons, it tends to disintegrate and become unstable. Since stable
isotopes do not decay, it does not pose any physiologically dangerous
effects to humans and other living things.

Uses of Stable Isotopes

Carbon is used in environmental and ecological experiments.(Photo: Sally Wallis/iStock/Getty

Images)

Stable isotopes of oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen and carbon are used in
environmental and ecological experiments. One scientific procedure using a stable
isotope is geochemistry; it is a field of geology that studies the chemical
composition of geologic materials, such as minerals and rocks. By using stable
isotopes, geochemists can determine the age of the geologic material they are
studying.

Radioactive Isotopes

Anthropogenic isotopes are purely man-made and created through nuclear activities.(Photo:
TomasSereda/iStock/Getty Images)

Radioactive isotopes have an unstable proton-neutron combination. These

isotopes decay, often emitting certain types of radiation that include alpha, beta
and gamma rays. There are also several types of radioactive isotopes depending on
the creation process: long-lived, cosmogenic, anthropogenic and radiogenic.
Long-lived radioactive isotopes emerged during the creation of the solar system,
while cosmogenic radioactive isotopes occur as a reaction of the atmosphere to
cosmic rays emitted by stars. Anthropogenic isotopes are purely man-made and
created through nuclear activities, such as weapons testing and nuclear fuel, while
radiogenic isotopes are the end result of radioactive decay.

Uses of Radioactive Isotopes

Radioactive isotopes are used in agriculture.(Photo: Yuriy Sukhovenko/iStock/Getty Images)

Radioactive isotopes are used in agriculture, food industry, pest control,

archeology and medicine. Radiocarbon dating, which measures the age
of a carbon-bearing item, uses a radioactive isotope of carbon known as
carbon-14. In medicine, gamma rays emitted by radioactive elements
are used to detect tumors inside the human body. Food irradiation -- the
process of exposing food to a controlled level of gamma rays -- kills
many types of bacteria, making food safer to eat.