Editing Nuclide (section)

==Nuclides vs isotopes==
A nuclide is a species of an atom with a specific number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, for example carbon-13 with 6 protons and 7 neutrons. The nuclide concept (referring to individual nuclear species) emphasizes nuclear properties over chemical properties, while the [[isotope]] concept (grouping all atoms of each element) emphasizes chemical over nuclear. The [[neutron]] number has large effects on nuclear properties, but its [[kinetic isotope effect|effect on chemical reactions]] is negligible for most elements. Even in the case of the very lightest elements, where the ratio of neutron number to atomic number varies the most between isotopes, it usually has only a small effect, but it matters in some circumstances. For hydrogen, the lightest element, the isotope effect is large enough to affect biological systems strongly. In the case of helium, [[helium-4]] obeys [[Bose–Einstein statistics]], while [[helium-3]] obeys [[Fermi–Dirac statistics]]. Since ''isotope'' is the older term, it is better known than ''nuclide'', and is still occasionally used in contexts in which ''nuclide'' might be more appropriate, such as nuclear technology and nuclear medicine.