Question

1. Name the radiation that is emitted during the decay of a nucleus that has the highest penetrating power.
2. Does the emission of the above-mentioned radiation result in a change in the mass number?

Answer 1

1. Gamma (γ) radiation.
2. No, the emission of gamma radiation does not result in a change in the mass number, as they are a form of electromagnetic radiation, essentially high-energy photons, and they have no mass or charge. Since they are massless, their emission does not affect the number of protons or neutrons in the nucleus, and therefore the mass number remains unchanged.