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In a radioactive decay of a nucleus, an electron is also emitted. This

June 1, 2025 by rawan239

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

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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In radioactive beta minus (β⁻) decay, an electron is emitted because a neutron is converted into a proton within the nucleus.

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.

Electrons are fundamental particles and are not constituents of the nucleus; protons and neutrons are the nucleons. The electron emitted in beta decay originates from the conversion of a neutron. Another type of beta decay is beta plus (β⁺) decay, where a proton converts into a neutron, emitting a positron (e⁺) and an electron neutrino (νe): p → n + e⁺ + νe. Electron capture is an alternative process where an electron from an inner atomic shell is captured by a proton in the nucleus, leading to the conversion of a proton into a neutron and emission of a neutrino. Momentum and energy conservation rules are followed in all radioactive decay processes, and the emission of the neutrino/antineutrino is necessary for conserving energy, momentum, and angular momentum, but the *reason* for electron emission in β⁻ decay is the fundamental weak interaction process of neutron decay.

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