Compare and contrast the three common types of radioactive decay: alpha particle decay, beta particle decay, electron capture. Your answer should include how the atomic mass and the atomic number of the isotope have changed
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: Alpha decay - An alpha particle of 2 protons and 2 neutrons is emitted from the nucleus. The atomic mass decreases by 4 and the atomic number by 2.
Beta decay - An electron is given off from a nucleus, which does not change the atomic mass because the mass of an electron is negligible. Because the electron comes from a neutron, there is now an extra proton in the nucleus, which increases the atomic number by 1.
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Fill in the blank(s) with correct word