Question map
Which of the following statements with regard to Isotopes and Isobars is/are correct? 1. Isotopes have same mass number. 2. Isobars have same atomic number. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Explanation
Based on fundamental chemical principles, isotopes and isobars are defined by their atomic and mass numbers. Isotopes are atoms of the same element that possess the same atomic number (number of protons) but different mass numbers due to varying numbers of neutrons [t1][t6]. For example, Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 are isotopes [t3]. Conversely, isobars are atoms of different elements that have the same mass number but different atomic numbers [t5][t8]. For instance, Carbon-14 and Nitrogen-14 are isobars because they share the same mass number (14) despite having different atomic numbers (6 and 7 respectively) [t8][t10]. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect because isotopes have different mass numbers, and statement 2 is incorrect because isobars have different atomic numbers. Since both statements are false, the correct answer is 'Neither 1 nor 2'.