Stable isotope ratio

Okay kiddo, so you know how everything in the world is made up of tiny particles called atoms? And every atom has even tinier particles inside of it, called protons and neutrons? Well, sometimes different kinds of atoms can have different numbers of neutrons inside them, and these different versions of the same atom are called isotopes.

Now, let's talk about stable isotopes. They are called 'stable' because they don't change or decay over time. Scientists can use stable isotopes to learn more about things like how the Earth's climate has changed over time, or how animals eat and drink.

One way scientists use stable isotopes is by measuring the ratio of different isotopes in a sample. For example, they might look at the ratio of carbon-12 to carbon-13 in a piece of wood. This ratio can tell them about the age of the wood, or about the climate conditions when the wood was first formed.

Stable isotopes can also be used to study animals. Animals that eat different kinds of food will have different ratios of isotopes in their bodies. So, scientists can study the isotopes in an animal's hair, feathers, or poop to find out what it has been eating.

Overall, stable isotopes are a really useful tool for scientists to learn about the natural world. They can help us understand everything from the history of the Earth to the eating habits of animals!