Final answer:
Isotopic studies are useful because stable isotopes maintain consistent ratios in natural processes. Radioactive isotopes decay over time at a rate determined by their half-life, which scientists can use for dating materials and studying ancient environments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Isotopic studies help scientists understand more about ancient processes in the environment because stable isotopes of common elements Have consistent ratios in natural processes. Isotopes are versions of elements with differing numbers of neutrons, and their stability is related to the ratio of neutrons to protons in the nucleus. Stable isotopes, like carbon-12 and carbon-13, do not decay over time and maintain a consistent ratio in the environment, allowing scientists to use them as tracers to study environmental processes and changes over time.
Radioactive isotopes, on the other hand, undergo radioactive decay, transforming spontaneously into more stable nuclei at a rate characterized by their specific half-life. The half-life is a measure of radioactivity and is defined as the time required for half of the nuclei in a sample to decay. This decay process, which can include alpha, beta, and gamma decay, does not change due to environmental factors like temperature or concentration, making it a reliable metric for dating materials and understanding environmental conditions of the past.