Question

State the kind of nuclear reaction taking place in a nucleus during the emission of a β-particle.

Answer 1

In the process of emission of a β-particle from the nucleus, a neutron changes into a proton by emitting a β-particle (electron).

\[\ce{\underset{\text{(neutron)}}{_0n^1}->\underset{\text{(proton)}}{_+1p^1} + \underset{\text{(β-particles)}}{-1_e^0}}\]

Hence in the nucleus, the number of neutrons decreases by 1 with the emission of a β-particle and the number of protons increases by one. So the sum of protons and neutrons, i.e., atomic mass remains the same but the atomic number increases by one.