Question

What are isodiaphers? Explain with an example.

Answer 1

The structure of an atom has two regions: a nucleus and the orbitals. The sub atomic species like electrons are found in the orbital. While protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom and are called nucleons. This number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom defines isodiaphers.

Complete answer:
The property of any element to have a distinct number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of that atom makes that atom a nuclide. A nuclide may not have the same number of neutrons as that of protons. These nuclides are therefore used in nuclear reactions as their nucleus possesses some energy due to the same reason.
Isodiaphers are a pair of nuclides that have the same difference between the number of protons and the neutrons of the nucleus of that atom. Both the nuclides may have varying numbers of protons and neutrons in their nucleus, but the difference between them is the same.
For example, uranium $_{92}^{238}U$ and thorium${}_{234}^{90}Th$
Uranium has 92 protons and 146 neutrons in its nucleus, so the difference is:
146 – 92 = 54
Thorium has 90 protons and 144 neutrons in its nucleus, so the difference is:
144 – 90 = 54
Hence, Isodiaphers are nuclides having the same difference in the number of protons and neutrons in their nucleus. For example uranium $_{92}^{238}U$ and thorium ${}_{234}^{90}Th$ have a difference of 54.

Note:
The mass number of any element is the sum of the number of its protons and neutrons, while the atomic number of any element is the number of protons in that atom which is equal to the number of electrons. Nuclides carry out nuclear reactions like fission and fusion to split or combine and create new atoms that produce a lot of energy.