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Nuclear & Particle Physics

Isotopes

Variants of a particular chemical element that possess identical atomic numbers Z (same number of protons) but different mass numbers A (different number of neutrons).

Governing formula Nuclide Symbol: ᴬ_Z X (Same Z, Different A)
SI unit Dimensionless Species

In depth

Because isotopes have identical proton numbers and electron shell configurations, they exhibit virtually identical chemical behavior, but differ in mass, nuclear spin, and radioactive decay stability.

Examples in the real world

Protium (¹H), Deuterium (²H), and radioactive Tritium (³H) serving as isotopes of hydrogen.