When a substance decays by beta emission,the mass number of the nucleus ________ and the atomic number ________.
A)decreases by 2,remains the same
B)increases by 2,remains the same
C)remains the same,decreases by 1
D)remains the same,increases by 1

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During beta decay, a neutron in the nucleus is transformed into a proton and an electron (beta particle). The mass number remains the same because the total number of protons and neutrons is unchanged, but the atomic number increases by 1 due to the addition of a proton.

When a Substance Decays by Beta Emission,the Mass Number of the Nucleus