Atoms that have the same proton number but different numbers of neutrons are indeed considered isotopes of each other. Isotopes are different forms of an element that have the same number of protons (atomic number) but differ in the number of neutrons (and therefore have different mass numbers).
However, it's important to note that isotopes with different numbers of neutrons will have slightly different masses and nuclear properties, but their chemical properties remain largely the same. This is because chemical properties are primarily determined by the arrangement and behavior of electrons, while the number of protons (which determines the element) remains constant in isotopes of the same element.
Isotopes exhibit similar chemical behavior because they have the same number of electrons and therefore have the same electron configuration and similar bonding patterns. The differences in the number of neutrons do not significantly affect the interactions of electrons in chemical reactions. Thus, isotopes of an element generally have similar chemical properties, such as their reactivity, bonding capabilities, and participation in chemical reactions.
However, it's worth mentioning that in certain specific cases, the presence of different isotopes can have subtle effects on chemical behavior. For example, heavy water (D2O), which contains the stable hydrogen isotope deuterium (D), behaves slightly differently in some chemical reactions compared to regular water (H2O). Nonetheless, these instances are relatively rare and specific to certain circumstances.
In summary, while isotopes of an element may have different numbers of neutrons and slightly different masses, they generally exhibit similar chemical properties due to their identical electron configurations.