In a radioactive decay of a nucleus, an electron is also emitted. This may happen due to the fact that :
electrons are present inside a nucleus
an electron is created at the time of conversion of a neutron into proton
an electron is created at the time of conversion of a proton into a neutron
electrons need to be emitted for conservation of momentum
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UPSC CAPF – 2015
Beta minus (β⁻) decay is a type of radioactive decay in which a neutron (n) within an atomic nucleus is converted into a proton (p). In this process, an electron (e⁻) and an electron antineutrino (ν̄e) are emitted from the nucleus. The reaction is typically written as: n → p + e⁻ + ν̄e. The electron is not pre-existing within the nucleus; it is created during this transformation. The atomic number of the nucleus increases by one, while the mass number remains unchanged.