question_answer

You are given two nuclides \[_{3}^{7}X\] and  \[_{3}^{4}\Upsilon \] (i) Are they the isotopes of the same element   Why? (ii) Which one of the two is likely to be more stable? Give reason.

Answer:

                (i) Yes, they are the isotopes of the same element because they have same atomic number \[(Z=3)\]. (ii) The isotope \[_{3}^{7}X\] has 3 protons and 4 neutrons while the isotope \[_{3}^{4}\Upsilon \] has 3 protons and 1 neutron. Due to the presence of a greater number of neutrons in \[_{3}^{7}X\] , the strong attractive nuclear force dominates over the electrostatic repulsion between the protons. So \[_{3}^{7}X\] is more stable than \[_{3}^{4}\Upsilon \].