Living organisms do indeed absorb and use carbon-13 (13C) in their biological processes. Carbon-13 is a stable isotope of carbon, meaning it does not undergo radioactive decay like carbon-14 (14C) does. While carbon-12 (12C) is the most abundant and commonly found isotope of carbon, carbon-13 is also present in nature, albeit in smaller quantities.
Carbon-13 is incorporated into biological molecules through various metabolic pathways. For example, during photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which contains a mixture of carbon-12 and carbon-13 isotopes. As plants convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds like sugars, carbon-13 can become part of these molecules.
Similarly, animals that consume plants or other animals as part of their diet also incorporate carbon-13 into their own tissues. This is because the carbon isotopes from the consumed organisms are utilized and integrated into the consumer's metabolic processes.
Carbon-13 is often used in scientific research and isotope analysis to study ecological interactions, carbon cycling, and other biological processes. It can be tracked and measured to gain insights into the movement and transformation of carbon within ecosystems and food webs.
While carbon-13 is less commonly mentioned in comparison to carbon-12 and carbon-14, it is still an essential component in the study of biological and ecological systems.