When a radioactive isotope undergoes Beta Decay, which of the following will NOT occur?
A. The mass number of the original nucleus changes.
B. The atomic number of the original nucleus changes.
C. The original nucleus approaches greater stability.
D. Energy is released.***
Doesn't the beta particle have energy which means energy is released?
The correct answer is D. Energy is released.
To understand why energy is not released in beta decay, we first need to understand what beta decay is. Beta decay is a nuclear decay process where a radioactive nucleus emits a beta particle. A beta particle can be either an electron (β-) or a positron (β+).
During beta decay, a neutron in the nucleus is converted into a proton, or a proton is converted into a neutron. This conversion leads to a change in the atomic number of the nucleus, as protons determine the element's identity.
From the options given, we can see that options A and B are correct. The mass number of the original nucleus can change if the number of protons or neutrons in the nucleus is altered. Similarly, the atomic number of the original nucleus changes because the conversion of a neutron to a proton (or vice versa) causes a change in the number of protons.
Option C is also correct. The original nucleus becomes more stable after beta decay because the number of protons and neutrons is redistributed, resulting in a more balanced nuclear configuration.
The only option that is not true is option D, which states that energy is released during beta decay. In reality, beta decay involves the conversion of a high-energy neutron or proton into a lower-energy particle, but no excess energy is released in the form of radiation.
In summary, when a radioactive isotope undergoes beta decay, the mass number and atomic number of the original nucleus can change, and the original nucleus becomes more stable. However, beta decay does not release energy.