Isotopes of oxygen

Isotopes of oxygen are atoms with eight protons and different numbers of neutrons. The stable isotopes oxygen-16, oxygen-17, and oxygen-18 occur naturally.

Isotope: An atom whose nucleus has a particular number of protons and a varying number of neutrons. Oxygen-16, oxygen-17, and oxygen-18 are members of this broader class.
Stellar nucleosynthesis: The formation of atomic nuclei through nuclear reactions inside stars and during stellar explosions. Stellar reactions forge oxygen nuclei, including the abundant oxygen-16 isotope.
Oxygen isotope ratio: A measurement comparing the abundances of selected oxygen isotopes in a sample. Ratios such as oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 turn isotope variation into a usable signal.
Hydrogen isotopes: Variants of hydrogen atoms with one proton and differing numbers of neutrons. Hydrogen isotope ratios often accompany oxygen ratios in studies of water and climate.
Atomic number: The number of protons in an atom's nucleus, which determines its chemical element. Every oxygen isotope has atomic number eight.
Carbon burning: A stellar fusion stage in which carbon nuclei react to form heavier nuclei, including oxygen and neon. Carbon fusion is one route by which stars produce oxygen-16.
Delta notation: A notation expressing a sample's isotope ratio relative to an agreed reference standard, usually in parts per thousand. Oxygen isotope measurements commonly report relative differences as δ¹⁸O or δ¹⁷O.
Carbon isotopes: Variants of carbon atoms with six protons and differing numbers of neutrons. Carbon isotope patterns trace processes that oxygen isotope ratios do not directly measure.
Mass number: The total number of protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus. It distinguishes oxygen-16, oxygen-17, and oxygen-18 by their nucleon totals.
Oxygen-16: The stable oxygen isotope with eight protons and eight neutrons. It is the lightest and overwhelmingly most abundant naturally occurring oxygen isotope.

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