Provide an example of an element and its isotopes.

Example: Carbon and its isotopes. Carbon is an element with the atomic number 6, meaning it has six protons in its nucleus. Carbon has three naturally occurring isotopes: carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14.

Carbon-12 is the most abundant isotope, making up 98.9% of all carbon on Earth. It has six protons and six neutrons in its nucleus, giving it an atomic mass of 12. Carbon-13 makes up about 1.1% of all carbon and has an atomic mass of 13 due to the presence of an extra neutron. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope that makes up a very small percentage of all carbon. It has six protons and eight neutrons in its nucleus, giving it an atomic mass of 14.

The different isotopes of carbon have important applications in fields such as archaeology and biology. Carbon-14, for example, is used in radiocarbon dating to determine the age of organic materials. Carbon-13 is used in stable isotope analysis to trace the movement of carbon through ecosystems.

Understanding the properties and applications of isotopes is important in many scientific fields, including biology. By studying the isotopes of elements such as carbon, scientists can gain insights into the natural world and the processes that shape it.