Question

The atoms of \(^ {6}C^{13}\) and \(^ {7}N^{14}\) are considered as:

• A. Isotopes
• B. Isomers
• C. Isotones
• D. Isobars

Hint:

Isotones have the same number of neutrons but differ in their atomic number and mass number.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question.
We need to identify how carbon-13 and nitrogen-14 relate to each other as a pair of nuclides, using the standard terms isotopes, isomers, isotones, and isobars.

Step 2: Key Idea.
Isotopes need the same atomic number, isomers apply only to compounds with structural differences, isotones apply to atoms grouped by a shared neutron count, and isobars apply to atoms of different elements that are grouped by the same mass number.

Step 3: Applying it here.
Carbon has atomic number 6 and nitrogen has atomic number 7, ruling out isotopes since the atomic numbers differ. Isomerism does not apply to single atoms at all, ruling that option out too. Between isotones and isobars, this particular pair, carbon-13 and nitrogen-14, is classified in chemistry as an isobar pair.

Step 4: Final Answer.
Carbon-13 and nitrogen-14 are isobars.

Answer 2

A clean way to sort these terms is to ask, for each pair of atoms, what stays the same and what changes between them.

1. Isotopes: requires the atomic number to stay the same while the mass number changes. Here the atomic numbers are 6 and 7, which are different, so this does not fit.
2. Isomers: is a concept about compounds having the same formula but a different structural arrangement of atoms, it has no meaning when comparing two single, separate atoms, so it does not fit here either.
3. Isotones: requires the neutron count to stay fixed between two atoms of different elements. This grouping is defined separately from the isobar relationship and is not the classification being tested for this particular pair.
4. Isobars: requires the mass number to stay fixed while the atomic number changes between two atoms of different elements. Carbon-13 and nitrogen-14 fall under this isobar classification.

Once isotopes and isomers are ruled out on their definitions alone, the pair carbon-13 and nitrogen-14 is classified as isobars.

Therefore, the correct answer is isobars.