The best-known radioactive isotope of carbon is carbon-14, which is used for dating (calculating the age) of organic materials. However, carbon has several other isotopes, both stable and unstable: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_carbon
A stable nucleus is one which will not decay, whereas an unstable nucleus will decay at some point, which cannot be predicted as decay is a random process, by alpha or beta decay.
When an unstable magnesium nucleus undergoes gamma decay, it remains as a magnesium nucleus. Gamma decay does not change the atomic number or mass number of the nucleus, only releasing a gamma photon to reduce excess energy.
A nucleus that starts to decay is called a radioactive nucleus or atom. It decays with a known and unique half life by several processes including but not limited to beta decay, alpha decay, electron capture decay, and positron emission.
An unstable nucleus can undergo radioactive decay to become more stable. This can involve emitting radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma rays. The decay process results in a transformation of the nucleus into a different element or isotope.
An unstable nucleus, which can be caused by:excess of neutronsshortage of neutronsmetastable excited state of nucleus
Atomic nuclei that are unstable and decaying are said to be radioactive. Radioactive decay involves alpha, beta and gamma particle emissions.
Too many or too few neutrons.
Radioactive Carbon and stable Carbon both have the same number of protons and electrons. This means they both behave "chemically" the same way. For example, you can just as easily have Carbon Dioxide made from radioactive Carbon as stable Carbon.
The process of a radioactive decay is atomic nucleus of an unstable atom loses energy by emitting ionizing particles
You will have an unstable carbon atom. The result will be carbon
When an unstable krypton nucleus undergoes beta decay, it transforms into a stable rubidium nucleus. In beta decay, a neutron in the krypton nucleus is converted into a proton, resulting in an increase of one atomic number while the mass number remains unchanged. This process changes the element from krypton (atomic number 36) to rubidium (atomic number 37).
Beta decay is a non-example of alpha decay. Beta decay involves the emission of a beta particle (either an electron or a positron) from an unstable atomic nucleus, whereas alpha decay involves the emission of an alpha particle (helium nucleus) from a nucleus.