Which statement best describes the effect of radioactive decay on a nucleus?(1 point)

Question

Responses

The resulting nucleus is less stable than the original nucleus. The nucleus must be of the same element as the original.
The resulting nucleus is less stable than the original nucleus. The nucleus must be of the same element as the original.

The resulting nucleus is more stable than the original nucleus. The nucleus must be of the same element as the original.
The resulting nucleus is more stable than the original nucleus. The nucleus must be of the same element as the original.

The resulting nucleus is more stable than the original nucleus. The nucleus can be of a different element than the original.
The resulting nucleus is more stable than the original nucleus. The nucleus can be of a different element than the original.

The resulting nucleus is less stable than the original nucleus. The nucleus can be of a different element than the original.

Answer 1

The statement that best describes the effect of radioactive decay on a nucleus is:

The resulting nucleus is more stable than the original nucleus. The nucleus can be of a different element than the original.

This is because radioactive decay typically transforms an unstable nucleus into a more stable one, which can often result in a different element being formed (as in the case of alpha or beta decay).