What are Isotopes?

Atoms are the building blocks of matter. The screen you’re reading this on, the brain you’re reading with, they’re all very organized groups of atoms. These blocks interact in specific ways, obeying specific rules, to maintain the shape and function of objects. None of it works, however, unless the right atoms are involved. If you try to put the wrong atoms into a protein or water molecule, it all breaks apart. It’s like trying to cobble together a picture using pixels of the wrong colors.

Given how rigorous chemistry is on this, it’s surprising to see how much variety these ‘right’ atoms can get away with. Each element on the periodic table encompasses whole families of atoms who behave the same despite some important differences — isotopes. Read more.