Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the beta decay of C.

Question

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the beta decay of  C.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In beta decay, a neutron is converted into a proton and a high-energy electron (beta particle) is released. The atomic number of the daughter nucleus increases by one, while the mass number remains the same.

Starting with 11C (mass number = 11, atomic number = 6), one of the neutrons will decay into a proton and a beta particle, resulting in the daughter nucleus with atomic number = 7. The only option with atomic number = 7 is N, so the daughter nuclide must be 11N. Therefore, the best choice is A.

Determine the Identity of the Daughter Nuclide from the Beta