The number next to isotopes signifies the sum of the number of protons plus the number of neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. An isotope is a version of an atom that has the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. Isotopes are very important in nuclear chemistry. A proton is a is a particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a positive charge. A neutron is also a particle in the nucleus of an atom, but it does not have an electric charge.
The number next to **isotopes **signifies their mass number, which is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom. ;
The number next to isotopes indicates the mass number, which is the sum of the protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons but may differ in their neutron count, leading to different mass numbers. Examples include Carbon-12 and Carbon-14, which highlight this concept.
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