Nitrogen has several isotopes, which are atoms of the same element (nitrogen) that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. The most common isotopes of nitrogen are: 1. **Nitrogen-14 (\(^14N\))**: This is the most stable and abundant isotope, making up about 99.6% of natural nitrogen. It has 7 protons and 7 neutrons.
Nitrogen-13 (\(^{13}\text{N}\)) is a radioactive isotope of nitrogen. It has 7 protons and 6 neutrons in its nucleus, which gives it an atomic mass of approximately 13 atomic mass units (amu). This isotope is notable for its role in nuclear medicine, particularly in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging.
Nitrogen-15 tracing refers to a technique used in various fields, including biology, ecology, and environmental science, where the stable isotope nitrogen-15 (N-15) is tracked to study nitrogen cycling, plant nutrition, and ecosystem dynamics. Nitrogen-15 is a naturally occurring isotope of nitrogen, making up about 0.37% of all nitrogen in nature, while the more common isotope, nitrogen-14 (N-14), accounts for the majority.
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