Radioactive decay is a spontaneous process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves.
congrats on reading the definition of Radioactive Decay. now let's actually learn it.
Alpha Decay: A type of radioactive decay where an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle and transforms into a new element.
Beta Decay: This is another type of radioactive decay where a neutron turns into a proton and emits an electron or positron plus a neutrino.
Gamma Decay: In this type of radioactive decay, an excited nucleus releases excess energy as a photon in the gamma-ray part of the electromagnetic spectrum.