Isotooppierojen

Isotooppierojen refers to isotopes of chemical elements that are not radioactive. Radioactive isotopes, also known as radioisotopes, decay over time, emitting radiation. Stable isotopes, on the other hand, do not undergo radioactive decay. Every element in the periodic table has at least one stable isotope, with the exception of technetium and promethium. For example, carbon has several isotopes, including carbon-12 and carbon-13, which are stable, and carbon-14, which is radioactive. The number of protons in an atom's nucleus defines the element, while the number of neutrons determines the isotope. Isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties because they have the same number of electrons, but they differ in mass due to the different number of neutrons. Stable isotopes are crucial in various scientific fields, including geochemistry, paleoclimatology, and biomedical research, for dating materials, tracing biological processes, and understanding the origins of substances. The relative abundance of stable isotopes can vary in natural samples, providing valuable information about environmental conditions and geological processes.