Physics – 5.2.3 Radioactive decay | e-Consult
5.2.3 Radioactive decay (1 questions)
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Diagram:
| Reactant: Nucleus of a radioactive isotope (e.g., Carbon-14) |
| Product: Nucleus of a different isotope (e.g., Nitrogen-14) + Beta particle (electron) |
Change in Protons and Neutrons: The number of protons increases by 1 (from the original isotope) and the number of neutrons decreases by 1. The total number of nucleons (protons + neutrons) remains the same.
Beta Particle: The emitted beta particle is a high-speed electron. It has a charge of -1 (negative) and a mass very close to that of an electron (approximately 9.11 x 10-31 kg). It is often represented as β-.