Question

Para and ortho hydrogen differ in:

• A. \text{Atomic number}
• B. \text{Number of neutrons}
• C. \text{Size}
• D. \text{Spins of protons}

Hint:

Para-hydrogen has anti-parallel proton spins, while ortho-hydrogen has parallel proton spins. This difference is crucial in understanding the behavior of hydrogen molecules in different states.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Para-hydrogen and ortho-hydrogen are two different spin isomers of molecular hydrogen (H\(_2\)). These two forms differ in the orientation of the spins of the protons (nuclei of hydrogen atoms) in the H\(_2\) molecule. - Para-hydrogen: In this form, the spins of the two protons are opposite, meaning they have anti-parallel spins. - Ortho-hydrogen: In this form, the spins of the two protons are parallel. The difference in the arrangement of the proton spins is the key distinction between para- and ortho-hydrogen, which is why the correct answer is (D) Spins of protons.