Final answer:
The statement that is NOT true of radioactive decay is (C) The identity of the atom remains the same.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that is NOT true of radioactive decay is (C) The identity of the atom remains the same.
Radioactive decay involves the emission of a particle and/or energy as one atom changes into another. It can involve the nucleus of an atom (A) and radioactive isotopes (B). However, the identity of the atom does not remain the same as it undergoes a change in its composition.
For example, in alpha decay, a helium ion is released from the nucleus, resulting in the formation of a new element. Similarly, in beta decay, a neutron in the nucleus is transformed into a proton and an electron, leading to a change in the element. Hence, option (C) is the statement that is NOT true of radioactive decay.