Which nuclear equation represents beta decay

The electron is immediately ejected at a high speed from the nucleus. Carbon undergoes beta decay, transmutating into a nitrogen nucleus. Write the nuclear equation that represents the radioactive decay of boron by beta particle emission and identify the daughter isotope. A gamma ray is emitted simultaneously with the beta particle. So that the mass and atomic numbers have the same value on both sides, the mass number of the daughter isotope must be 12, and its atomic number must be 6.

The element having an atomic number of 6 is carbon. Thus, the complete nuclear equation is as follows:. Write the nuclear equation that represents the radioactive decay of iodine by beta particle emission and identify the daughter isotope. Nuclei below the band of stability are unstable because their neutron to proton ratio is too low. One way to increase that ratio is for a proton in the nucleus to turn into a neutron and another particle called a positron. A positron is a particle with the same mass as an electron, but with a positive charge.

Like the beta particle, a positron is immediately ejected from the nucleus upon its formation. For example, potassium emits a positron, becoming argon An alternate way for a nuclide to increase its neutron to proton ratio is by a phenomenon called electron capture. In electron capture, an electron from an inner orbital is captured by the nucleus of the atom and combined with a proton to form a neutron.

For example, silver undergoes electron capture to become palladium Note that the overall result of electron capture is identical to positron emission. The atomic number decreases by one while the mass number remains the same. Gamma rays are emitted by a nucleus when nuclear particles undergo transitions between nuclear energy levels. This is analogous to the electromagnetic radiation emitted when excited electrons drop from higher to lower energy levels; the only difference is that nuclear transitions release much more energetic radiation.

Gamma ray emission often accompanies the decay of a nuclide by other means. The emission of gamma radiation has no effect on the atomic number or mass number of the products, but it reduces their energy. The table below summarizes the main types of nuclear radiation, including charge, mass, symbol, and penetrating power. Penetrating power refers to the relative ability of the radiation to pass through common materials.

Radiation with high penetrating power is potentially more dangerous because it can pass through skin and do cellular damage. B Use the values of A and Z to identify any missing components needed to balance the equation. A As in part a , we are given the identities of the reactant and one of the products—in this case, a positron. Based on the neutron-to-proton ratio and the value of Z , predict the type of nuclear decay reaction that will produce a more stable nuclide.

Allison Soult , Ph. Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky. Learning Objectives Write and balance nuclear equations To know the different kinds of radioactive decay. The trick to doing nuclear equations is that the top numbers must add up and the bottom numbers must add up. When we are looking at atoms, the top number is the mass number and the bottom number is the number of protons. How can we describe some of the types of radiation this way?

These are called meta-stable isotopes. Technetium 99 has a meta-stable isotope. A gamma ray can be represented by g. If there are too many neutrons in a nucleus, a neutron to proton conversion occurs.

This releases an electron or beta particle. This beta particle can be represented as.