Final answer:
The symbol -1^0e is used in nuclear physics to represent a beta particle, which is an electron emitted from a nucleus during beta decay. The correct answer to the student's question is (d) Beta particle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The symbol -1^0e is typically used in nuclear physics to designate a beta particle, which is a high-speed electron emitted during beta decay of a nucleus. Beta particles have an atomic number (charge number) of -1, denoting their negative charge, and a mass number of 0 because they are considered to have negligible mass in comparison to nucleons (protons and neutrons). Beta decay occurs when a neutron in an unstable atomic nucleus is transformed into a proton and an electron, where the electron is then ejected from the nucleus as a beta particle.
When considering the options provided: a) Proton b) Neutron c) Gamma ray d) Beta particle e) Alpha particle, for the symbol -1^0e, the correct answer is (d) Beta particle. Protons and neutrons are nucleons with a mass number of 1, gamma rays are high-energy photons with both mass number and atomic number being 0, and alpha particles consist of two protons and two neutrons (like a helium nucleus) with a +2 charge.