C decays by a process called beta decay. During this process, an atom of 14C decays into an atom of 14N, during which one of the neutrons in the carbon atom becomes a proton. This increases the number of protons in the atom by one, creating a nitrogen atom rather than a carbon atom.C decays by a process called beta decay

What is it called when carbon decays?

Radiocarbon dating (also referred to as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating) is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon.

What is the equation for the decay of carbon?

Therefore it must have 8 neutrons to add up to 14. Notice that the equation balances for both the atomic number and the atomic mass number. The atomic mass number does not change because a beta particle has a much smaller mass than the atom .FlavourChargeup2/3down-1/3