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Beta Decay quiz

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  • What is emitted from an unstable nucleus during beta decay?
    An electron, also called a beta particle, is emitted from the nucleus during beta decay.
  • How is a beta particle represented in terms of atomic mass and atomic number?
    A beta particle has an atomic mass of 0 and an atomic number of -1.
  • What happens to the atomic mass of a nucleus during beta decay?
    The atomic mass remains the same before and after beta decay.
  • How does the atomic number change during beta decay?
    The atomic number increases by 1 because the emission of a beta particle (with -1) results in the new element having one more proton.
  • What is the relationship between protons and the atomic number?
    The atomic number is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus.
  • Why is the atomic number of a beta particle -1?
    Because a beta particle is an electron, which is the opposite of a proton (atomic number 1), so it is assigned -1.
  • In the example of Mercury-201 undergoing beta decay, what is the resulting element?
    The resulting element is Thallium-201, with an atomic number of 81.
  • Why does the mass number not change during beta decay?
    Because the emitted beta particle (electron) has negligible mass, so the mass number stays the same.
  • How do you balance atomic numbers in a beta decay equation?
    The sum of the atomic numbers on both sides of the equation must be equal.
  • How do beta particles compare in size to alpha particles?
    Beta particles are smaller than alpha particles.
  • Are beta particles more or less damaging than alpha particles if ingested, and why?
    Beta particles are less damaging because they have lower ionizing power due to their smaller size.
  • Why do beta particles have higher penetrating power than alpha particles?
    Because beta particles are smaller, they can penetrate materials more easily than the larger alpha particles.
  • What materials can block beta particles from entering the body?
    A sheet of metal or a large block of wood can block beta particles.
  • What is the symbol for a beta particle in nuclear equations?
    The symbol for a beta particle is either β or e with a superscript 0 and subscript -1.
  • What must be conserved in a nuclear equation involving beta decay?
    Both the atomic mass and the atomic number must be conserved in the equation.