How does carbon-14 decay ?

Carbon-14 is an isotope of carbon. It is written as ¹⁴₆C . It has all the chemical properties similar to those shown by normal carbon (¹⁴₆C). Carbon-14 (¹⁴₆C) isotope is unstable and radioactive. Carbon-14 decays by emitting beta particles and giving nitrogen.

¹⁴₆C → ¹⁴₇N + β-particle (e^–)

In this reaction, the mass number remains constant (at 14),. So, the sum of the number of protons and neutrons remains constant. However, the atomic number increases by one unit (from 6 to 7). This means that in the nucleus of nitrogen there are seven protons. This would happen only if one of the neutrons in the carbon-14 nucleus gets converted to a proton and an electron.

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¹₀n (in ¹⁴₆C nucleus) → ¹₁P(in ¹⁴₇N nucleus) + ⁰_-1e

This proton remains in the nucleus, and the released electron is emitted out as a beta-particle.

¹⁴₆C → ¹⁴₇N⁺ + e^–(β-particle)

Nitrogen so formed contains

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7 protons and 6 electrons,

Hence + 1 charge only nitrogen

The nitrogen ion then accepts an electron from the neighboring species to form nitrogen atom.

¹⁴₇N⁺+ e^– → ¹⁴₇N