What particle is produced during the following decay processes: (c) iodine-122 decays to xenon-122?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the type of decay process involved. Since iodine-122 is decaying to xenon-122, this suggests a beta decay process.
2. In beta decay, a neutron in the nucleus is converted into a proton, and a beta particle (an electron) is emitted.
3. Write the nuclear equation for the decay process: \( ^{122}_{53}\text{I} \rightarrow ^{122}_{54}\text{Xe} + \beta^- \).
4. Verify the conservation of mass number and atomic number. The mass number (122) remains the same, while the atomic number increases by 1 (from 53 to 54), which is consistent with beta decay.
5. Conclude that the particle produced during the decay of iodine-122 to xenon-122 is a beta particle, represented as \( \beta^- \).

Key Concepts

Nuclear Decay

Nuclear decay is a process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation. This can occur in various forms, including alpha decay, beta decay, and gamma decay. Understanding the type of decay is crucial for predicting the particles produced and the resulting elements formed.

Beta Decay

Beta decay is a specific type of radioactive decay in which a neutron in the nucleus is transformed into a proton, emitting an electron (beta particle) and an antineutrino. This process increases the atomic number of the element by one, resulting in the formation of a new element. In the case of iodine-122, it undergoes beta decay to become xenon-122.

Conservation of Mass and Charge

In nuclear reactions, the conservation of mass and charge is a fundamental principle stating that the total mass and charge before and after the decay must remain constant. This means that the sum of the atomic numbers and mass numbers of the reactants must equal those of the products, allowing us to identify the particles produced during decay processes.