Alpha decay involves the emission of an alpha particle and is represented by a decrease in mass number by four and atomic number by two. Beta decay involves the emission of an electron and results in the increase of the atomic number by one without changing the mass number. Uranium-238 is an example of alpha decay, while carbon-14 represents beta decay.
The types of nuclear decay reactions are alpha decay and beta decay. In alpha decay, a nucleus emits an alpha particle (a helium-4 nucleus), which can be represented as 4XN → YN-2 + He2. For example, Uranium-238 undergoing alpha decay would be represented as 238U → 234Th + He2. On the other hand, beta decay occurs when a nucleus emits an electron (or beta particle), leading to the conversion of a neutron into a proton, and can be represented as X → Y + e- + antineutrino. For example, carbon-14 decays by beta emission as follows: 14C → 14N + e- + antineutrino. Thus, uranium-238 decays by alpha emission, while carbon-14 decays by beta emission.