GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

GK

NUCLEAR SCIENCE

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
The mass number of an element is not changed, when it emits ____ radiations.
A
B
C
D
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -The correct answer is option 3 i.e Beta and Gamma radiations only.

Detailed explanation-2: -Answer and Explanation: Beta decay does not change the mass number of an atom because the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom remains the same. If the decay is beta minus decay, a neutron is changed to a proton but the sum of protons and neutrons remains the same.

Detailed explanation-3: -As a result of beta decays, the mass number of the atoms remains the same, but the atomic number changes: the atomic number increases in the negative beta decay and decreases in the positive beta decay, respectively.

Detailed explanation-4: -Gamma radiation, unlike alpha or beta, does not consist of any particles, instead consisting of a photon of energy being emitted from an unstable nucleus. Having no mass or charge, gamma radiation can travel much farther through air than alpha or beta, losing (on average) half its energy for every 500 feet.

Detailed explanation-5: -beta decay, any of three processes of radioactive disintegration by which some unstable atomic nuclei spontaneously dissipate excess energy and undergo a change of one unit of positive charge without any change in mass number.

There is 1 question to complete.