What are isobars?

Isobars are atoms of different chemical elements that have the same mass number (total number of protons and neutrons) but different atomic numbers (number of protons). For example, carbon-14 and nitrogen-14 both have a mass number of 14 but differ in their atomic numbers (6 and 7, respectively).

Key Characteristics:

• Same Mass Number: Isobars have the same total number of nucleons (protons + neutrons).

• Different Atomic Number: They belong to different elements because the number of protons differs.

• Different Chemical Properties: Since their atomic numbers are different, isobars have different chemical properties and occupy different places in the periodic table.

Real-World Example:

• Carbon-14 (6 protons, 8 neutrons) and Nitrogen-14 (7 protons, 7 neutrons): Both have a mass number of 14 but are different elements.

Isobars are important in nuclear physics and chemistry, especially in understanding radioactive decay and nuclear reactions.