Bananas contain small quantities of potassium-40, a radioactive isotope - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question b - 2019
Question b
Bananas contain small quantities of potassium-40, a radioactive isotope. What is the daughter nucleus when K-40 emits an electron in beta decay?
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Bananas contain small quantities of potassium-40, a radioactive isotope - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question b - 2019
Identify the decay process
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In beta decay, a neutron in the nucleus is transformed into a proton while emitting an electron (beta particle) and an antineutrino.
Write the beta decay equation
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For potassium-40 ( ext{K}^{40}_{19}), the decay can be represented as follows:
u}$$Identify the daughter nucleus
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The daughter nucleus produced from the beta decay of potassium-40 is calcium-40 ( ext{Ca}^{40}_{20}).
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