electron decay transforms 40 K 19 into what nuclide?
beta decay? Wouldn't the mass number stay the same and atomic number go up?
40 X 20 ?
30
Electron decay, also known as beta decay, involves the transformation of an unstable nucleus into a more stable configuration by emitting an electron (β- particle) or positron (β+ particle).
In the case of potassium-40 (40K), which has an atomic number of 19 (i.e., 19 protons), it undergoes beta decay by emitting an electron.
The decay process can be represented as:
40K (19 protons) → X (20 protons) + β-
Here, "X" represents the resulting nucleus after the decay.
To determine the nuclide, we need to identify the element with 20 protons, which is calcium (Ca).
Therefore, the electron decay of potassium-40 (40K) with 19 protons converts it into calcium-40 (40Ca) with 20 protons.
To determine the result of electron decay, we need to understand the decay process. Electron decay, also known as beta-minus decay, occurs when an unstable nucleus emits an electron, transforming a neutron into a proton. This process does not change the mass number (A), but it increases the atomic number (Z) by one.
In this case, the given nuclide is 40 K 19. The atomic number (Z) is 19, indicating that the element is potassium (K), and the mass number (A) is 40.
During electron decay, a neutron in the nucleus is converted into a proton while emitting an electron. This process can be represented by the following equation:
n → p + e-
After the decay, the resulting nuclide has the same mass number but an increased atomic number. Therefore, the resulting nuclide will be:
40 K 19 → 40 Ca 20
The resulting nuclide is calcium-40 (40 Ca 20).