Question

In beta decay, an electron (or a positron) is emitted by a nucleus. Does the remaining atom get oppositely charged?

Answer 1

In beta decay, a neutron from the nucleus is converted to a proton releasing an electron and an antineutrino or a proton is converted to a neutron releasing a positron and a neutrino.

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{i.e.}{\beta }^{-}\mathrm{decay}:n\to p+e+\overline{\nu } \\ {\beta }^{+}\mathrm{decay}:p\to n+e^{+}+\nu \end{gathered}$$

Since the number of valence electrons present in the parent atom do not change, the remaining atom does not get oppositely charged. Instead, due to a change in the atomic number, there's a formation of a new element.