Nuclear physics |
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Isobars are atoms (nuclides) of different chemical elements that have the same number of nucleons. Correspondingly, isobars differ in atomic number (or number of protons) but have the same mass number. An example of a series of isobars is 40S, 40Cl, 40Ar, 40K, and 40Ca. While the nuclei of these nuclides all contain 40 nucleons, they contain varying numbers of protons and neutrons.[1]
The term "isobars" (originally "isobares") for nuclides was suggested by British chemist Alfred Walter Stewart in 1918.[2] It is derived from Greek ἴσος (isos) 'equal' and βάρος (baros) 'weight'.[3]