What happens during radioactive decay? A. An unstable nucleus loses particles until it becomes stable.
B. An unstable nucleus gains neutrons to make it stable.
C. An unstable nucleus gains mass until it becomes stable.
D. An unstable nucleus absorbs radiation to make it stable.

When a radioactive atom undergoes a nuclear decay event (the significant decay modes are alpha decay, beta decay, electron capture, and spontaneous fission), the decaying nucleus undergoes a transformation in identity associated with the change in the number of protons in the nucleus