Help with understanding isotopes?

Well this is on my mid-term study guide and I don't get it. I'm just looking for help, not just answers. Here's the question:

"According to Wikipedia, 'Naturally occurring zinc (Zn) is composed of the 5 stable isotopes 64Zn, 66Zn, 67Zn, 68Zn, and 70Zn with 64Zn being the most abundant'. Explain what is meant by the term "isotopes". For each of these 5 isotopes, calculate the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus."


I kind of get what isotopes are, that they are atoms that have different mass numbers but the same atomic mass, but that's it.


Help, please? >_<

Chris2012-01-13T11:42:30Z

Your definition of isotopes should read: They are atoms that have different mass numbers, but the same atomic number.

The atomic number is the number of protons.
The mass number is the number of protons PLUS the number of neutrons.