Question

What is the process shown in the Feynman diagram?

1) Neutron decaying into a proton
2) Proton decaying into a neutron
3) Electron decaying into a positron
4) Positron decaying into an electron

Answer 1

The Feynman diagram represents a neutron transforming into a proton, an electron, and an electron neutrino in a process known as beta-minus decay.

Step-by-step explanation:

The process shown in the Feynman diagram is a neutron decaying into a proton, an event which is called beta-minus (߯) decay. This process involves a neutron inside the nucleus being transformed into a proton while emitting an electron (e) and an electron neutrino (νe). In beta decay, a W boson facilitates the transformation of the neutron into a proton, the emission of the electron, and the electron neutrino, all governed by the weak nuclear force. The equation representing this decay is n → p + e + νe, where the neutron (n) decays into a proton (p), an electron (e), and an electron neutrino (νe). The atomic number of the atom increases by one due to the addition of a proton while the mass number remains unchanged because a neutron is simply replaced by a proton.