Question

What's the difference between 14N and 15N at the atomic level?

Answer 1

The difference between these two atoms is in the number of neutrons, and this coincides with the definition of isotopy.

Nitrogen 14 (14N) is the isotope of nitrogen whose nucleus consists of 7 protons and 7 neutrons. It is one of two stable isotopes of nitrogen, and accounts for 99.636% of the nitrogen present on Earth.

Nitrogen (15N) is the nitrogen isotope whose nucleus consists of 7 protons and 8 neutrons. It is the second of two stable isotopes of nitrogen, and represents 0.364% of the nitrogen present on Earth.

Answer 2

The number indicates the mass number of the atoms of the element. 15N, therefore, is heavier than 14N. Mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom. While 14N has 7 protons and 7 neutrons, 15N has 7 protons and 8 neutrons.