A carbon-14 nucleus decays to a nitrogen-14 nucleus by beta-minus decay.How much energy (in MeV)is released if carbon-14 has a mass of 14.003242 u and nitrogen-14 has a mass of 14.003074 u? (1 u = 931.5 MeV/c²)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy released in the decay can be calculated using the mass difference between the carbon-14 and nitrogen-14 nuclei and converting that mass difference into energy using the formula $E = \Delta m c^2$, where $c$ is the speed of light. Given that 1 atomic mass unit (u) is equivalent to 931.5 MeV/c^2, the mass difference ($\Delta m$) is $14.003242 u - 14.003074 u = 0.000168 u$. Converting this mass difference to energy, we get $0.000168 u \times 931.5 MeV/u = 0.156 MeV$.

A Carbon-14 Nucleus Decays to a Nitrogen-14 Nucleus by Beta-Minus