Why do the isotopes of a particular element behave differently in nuclear reactions but the same in chemical reactions? Check all that apply.

Chemical reactions mainly involve an atom’s electrons. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons and, when neutral, the same number of electrons, so they generally behave the same in chemical reactions; this matches choice A. Nuclear reactions involve changes in the nucleus, including protons or neutrons. Isotopes differ in their number of neutrons, so their nuclear behavior can differ, as choice C states.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.