During radioactive decay, the daughter element is always
A) more massive than the parent.
B) the same mass as the parent.
C) less massive than the parent.
D) None of these.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During radioactive decay, a parent atom will emit particles or radiation and transform into a daughter atom with a different number of protons and neutrons. This means that the mass of the daughter atom will be different than the mass of the parent atom. Since radioactive decay usually involves the emission of particles, such as alpha or beta particles, the daughter element will usually have fewer nucleons (protons and neutrons) than the parent element. Therefore, the best choice is C - less massive than the parent.

During Radioactive Decay, the Daughter Element Is Always