Question

${}_6^{14}C{\to }_7^{14}{N}^{+}+e^{-}$, this equation is an example of which type of reaction?

• A. Alpha decay
• B. Beta decay
• C. Gamma decay
• D. Fusion

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Beta decay

Beta decay conserves the number of electrons and their associated neutrinos Since a proton or neutron has lepton number zero, β⁺ decay (a position, or antielectron) must be accompanied with an electron neutrino, while β⁻ decay (an electron) must be accompanied by an electron antineutrino. An example of electron emission (β⁻ decay) is the decay of $C^{14}$ into $N^{14}$with a half-life of about 5,730 years

In this form of decay, the original element becomes a new chemical element. This new element has an unchanged mass number A, but an atomic number Z that is increased by one.