Question

Carbon-14 is likely to undergo which of the following nuclear decay process, in order to:

a)beta decay; to reduce the number of neutrons

b)alpha decay; to increase the number of protons

c)positron emission; to reduce the number of neutrons

d)electron capture; to increase the number of protons

Answer 1

a)beta decay; to reduce the number of neutrons

Step-by-step explanation:

When an isotope decays by beta decay, a neutron is converted into a proton, an electron and a neutrino (a particle that serves to balance spins). This process reduces the neutron/proton ratio.

During the beta decay of carbon-14, an atom of 14C decays into an atom of 14N. Hence the number of protons in the atom increases by one, creating a nitrogen atom.