Final answer:
The symbol ^212_84 Po represents the isotope Polonium-212, which, due to its atomic number being greater than 83, is expected to undergo alpha decay, resulting in the emission of an alpha particle and a decrease in both mass number and atomic number.
Step-by-step explanation:
The symbol ^212_84 Po represents a specific isotope of Polonium, which is Polonium-212. The numbers represent the mass number (212) and the atomic number (84), respectively. When analyzing the potential decay processes, we can understand that heavy elements with atomic numbers greater than 83 typically undergo alpha decay, which results in the emission of an alpha particle (a helium nucleus with 2 protons and 2 neutrons).
This type of decay decreases both the mass number and the atomic number of the original nucleus. Therefore, Polonium-212 would be expected to undergo alpha decay, not beta decay. Given the potential answer choices, the correct answer is C) Polonium-212 undergoing alpha emission.