How do living organisms differentiate between isotopes of carbon?

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How do living organisms differentiate between isotopes of carbon?

The difference between carbon-12 and carbon-14 is the number of neutrons in each of their atoms. Atoms of both isotopes of carbon contain 6 protons. Atoms of carbon-12 have 6 neutrons, while atoms of carbon-14 contain 8 neutrons.

How do you identify carbon isotopes?

For example, carbon has six protons and is atomic number 6. Carbon occurs naturally in three isotopes: carbon 12, which has 6 neutrons (plus 6 protons equals 12), carbon 13, which has 7 neutrons, and carbon 14, which has 8 neutrons. Every element has its own number of isotopes.

What helps to differentiate the isotopes of an element?

Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons but the same number of protons and electrons. The difference in the number of neutrons between the various isotopes of an element means that the various isotopes have different masses.

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What causes isotopes to differ?

all isotopes have the same number of protons and the same number of electrons. Because the electron structure is the same isotopes have the same chemical properties. What is different is the number of neutrons, The different number of neutrons all cause a difference in the atomic weight or mass of the atoms.

Why do elements have different isotopes?

All oxygen atoms on Earth (and Universe) have the same number of protons (and electrons), But they can have different numbers of neutrons. Different isotopes of the same element have different masses. Therefore, elements have different isotopes due to the varying number of neutrons found in the nucleus of the atom.

How do the two isotopes of carbon c12 and c13 differ?

Explanation: Carbon 12, 13 and 14 are carbon isotopes, meaning that they have additional neutrons: Carbon 12 has exactly 6 protons and 6 neutrons ( hence the 12 ) Carbon 13 has 6 protons and 7 neutrons.

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What is it about carbon 12 carbon 13 and carbon 14 that makes them all carbon?

Carbon 12, 13 and 14 are carbon isotopes, meaning that they have additional neutrons: Carbon 12 has exactly 6 protons and 6 neutrons ( hence the 12 ) Carbon 13 has 6 protons and 7 neutrons. Carbon 14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons.