Valley of stability

Okay kiddo, imagine you have a bunch of toys on a shelf. Some toys are big and heavy, like your teddy bear, and some are small and light, like your bouncy ball. Now, imagine that each toy is made up of little parts called atoms, like Lego blocks. Some atoms have lots of Lego blocks and some have only a few.

Scientists have figured out that atoms with a certain number of Lego blocks are the most stable, which means they won't break apart easily or explode. It's kind of like how your teddy bear is stable on the shelf because he's big and heavy and won't fall over easily.

The most stable atoms, which have just the right amount of Lego blocks, are in something called the Valley of Stability. It's like a big, flat part of the shelf where all the stable toys hang out.

But sometimes, if an atom has too many or too few Lego blocks, it can become unstable and start to break apart or decay. It's like how your tower of blocks might topple over if you add or take away too many blocks.

Scientists use the Valley of Stability to study atoms and try to figure out how to make new ones that are even more stable. And maybe someday, they'll be able to make toys that are as stable and long-lasting as your teddy bear!