* Atomic Number: The atomic number represents the number of protons in an atom's nucleus. Nitrogen's atomic number is 7. This means every nitrogen atom has 7 protons.
* Mass Number: The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus. Nitrogen has two common isotopes:
* Nitrogen-14 (¹⁴N): The most abundant isotope has 7 neutrons, so its mass number is 14 (7 protons + 7 neutrons).
* Nitrogen-15 (¹⁵N): This isotope has 8 neutrons, giving it a mass number of 15 (7 protons + 8 neutrons).
Important Note: The mass number listed on the periodic table for nitrogen is 14.007, which is the weighted average of the masses of its isotopes, reflecting their natural abundance.
