Which of the following is a product of the beta (electron) decay of vanadium-52?

• A. Chromium-52 (Cr-52)
• B. Vanadium-53 (V-53)
• C. Titanium-52 (Ti-52)
• D. Manganese-52 (Mn-52)

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that beta (electron) decay involves the transformation of a neutron into a proton inside the nucleus, emitting an electron (beta particle) and an antineutrino.
2. Recall that during beta decay, the atomic number (number of protons) increases by 1, while the mass number (total protons + neutrons) remains the same.
3. Identify the original isotope: Vanadium-52 (V-52) has an atomic number of 23 (since vanadium's atomic number is 23) and a mass number of 52.
4. Increase the atomic number by 1 to find the new element: 23 + 1 = 24, which corresponds to chromium (Cr) on the periodic table, while the mass number stays 52.
5. Conclude that the product of the beta decay of Vanadium-52 is Chromium-52 (Cr-52).