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Isotopes

Isotopes

Elements have a set number of protons that determines their atomic number (Z). For example, all atoms with eight protons are oxygen; however, the number of neutrons can vary for atoms of the same element. The sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are called isotopes. Elements can have multiple isotopes, for example, carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14.
An element's atomic mass, or weight,...

Elements: Chemical Symbols and Isotopes

Elements: Chemical Symbols and Isotopes

A chemical symbol is an abbreviation used to indicate an element or an atom of an element. For example, the symbol for mercury is Hg. The same symbol is used to indicate one atom of mercury (microscopic domain) or to label a container of many atoms of the element mercury (macroscopic domain).
Some symbols are derived from the common English name of the element; others are abbreviations of the name in another language — Latin, Greek or German. For example, the symbol for aluminum (common name)...

Isotopes and Radioisotopes

Isotopes and Radioisotopes

In the early 1900s, English chemist Frederick Soddy realized that an element could have atoms with different masses that were chemically indistinguishable. These different types are called isotopes — atoms of the same element that differ in mass. Isotopes differ in mass because they have different numbers of neutrons but are chemically identical because they have the same number of protons. Soddy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1921 for this discovery.
An isotope containing...

Mass Spectrometry: Isotope Effect

Mass Spectrometry: Isotope Effect

Most elements exist in nature as a mixture of isotopes. The isotopes differ in weight due to their respective number of neutrons. The molecular weight of a molecule is different depending on the specific isotope of its elements involved. As a result, the mass spectrum of the molecule exhibits peaks from the same fragment at multiple positions. The positions of these mass signals depend on the mass differences between isotopes. Furthermore, the intensity of these signals is dependent on the...

Atomic Mass

Atomic Mass

Atoms — and the protons, neutrons, and electrons that compose them — are extremely small. For example, a carbon atom weighs less than 2 × 10−23 g. When describing the properties of tiny objects such as atoms, we use appropriately small units of measure, such as the atomic mass unit (amu). The amu was originally defined based on hydrogen, the lightest element, then later in terms of oxygen. Since 1961, it has been defined with regard to the most abundant isotope of carbon, atoms of which...

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

Nuclear chemistry is the study of reactions that involve changes in nuclear structure. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and, except for hydrogen, neutrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number (Z) of the element, and the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are isotopes of the same element.
A nuclide of an element has a specific number of protons and...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Author Spotlight: Quantification of Complex Lipidomic Samples Using Stable Isotope Labeling

Author Spotlight: Quantification of Complex Lipidomic Samples Using Stable Isotope Labeling

Published on: August 23, 2024

Metabolomics and Isotope Tracing.

Cholsoon Jang¹, Li Chen¹, Joshua D Rabinowitz¹

¹Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Washington Rd, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.

|May 5, 2018

Summary

Mass spectrometry (MS) enables simultaneous metabolite measurement for studying metabolism. Combining MS with stable isotope tracing reveals metabolic pathway activities and illuminates biological processes.

Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Metabolomics
Systems Biology

Background:

Metabolism is crucial for understanding biological systems.
Mass spectrometry (MS) has revolutionized metabolite measurement.
Stable isotope tracing provides insights into metabolic pathway dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To outline the fundamental principles of metabolite measurement using MS.
To demonstrate the combined power of metabolomics and isotope tracing.
To highlight applications of these techniques in biological research.

Main Methods:

Sample preparation for MS-based metabolomic analysis.
Performing comprehensive metabolomic profiling.
Utilizing stable isotope tracers to track metabolic flux.

More Related Videos

A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing

A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing

Published on: February 4, 2017

Large Scale Non-targeted Metabolomic Profiling of Serum by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry UPLC-MS

Large Scale Non-targeted Metabolomic Profiling of Serum by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry UPLC-MS

Published on: March 14, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Author Spotlight: Quantification of Complex Lipidomic Samples Using Stable Isotope Labeling

Author Spotlight: Quantification of Complex Lipidomic Samples Using Stable Isotope Labeling

Published on: August 23, 2024

A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing

A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing

Published on: February 4, 2017

Large Scale Non-targeted Metabolomic Profiling of Serum by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry UPLC-MS

Large Scale Non-targeted Metabolomic Profiling of Serum by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry UPLC-MS

Published on: March 14, 2013

Data interpretation strategies for metabolomic and isotopic data.

Main Results:

Simultaneous measurement of numerous metabolites is achievable with MS.
Isotope tracing effectively reveals activities of metabolic pathways.
Integrated metabolomics and isotope tracing offer deep biological insights.

Conclusions:

MS-based metabolomics is a powerful tool for biological discovery.
Combining metabolomics with isotope tracing enhances understanding of metabolic networks.
These integrated approaches are vital for advancing biological research.