Guidelines

What is the decay equation for k 42?

What is the decay equation for k 42?

4219K→0−1e+? describes the beta decay of potassium-42. You can tell that this is the case because the radioactive nuclide emits an electron, also known as a beta particle. In beta decay, a neutron located inside the nucleus is converted to a proton.

What is the product of beta decay of potassium-42?

Potassium undergoes beta (minus) decay to produce an electron and a calcium nucleus.

What is the nuclear equation for the beta decay of potassium 40?

Potassium- 40 is an interesting isotope of potassium, that can undergo both beta-plus and beta-minus decay. It has an 89% chance of undergoing beta-minus decay, turning into calcium- 40 , and the equation for that is: 4019K→4020Ca+e−+¯v , where ¯v is an antineutrino, and e− is an electron.

What type of decay does K 42 undergo?

List of isotopes

Nuclide Z Decay mode
Excitation energy
41K 19 Stable
42K 19 β−
43K 19 β−

Can you write the nuclear equation for the decay of Potassium-42?

Can you write the nuclear equation for the decay of potassium-42? Potassium undergoes beta (minus) decay to produce an electron and a calcium nucleus. Naturally-occurring potassium atoms have a weighted average atomic mass of 39.10 (as seen on most modern versions of the periodic table .)

Why does a Potassium-42 nucleus undergo beta minus decay?

A potassium-42 nucleus contains more neutrons than necessary and would seek to convert at least one of its neutrons to protons. It would thus undergo beta-minus decay as one of its neutrons converts to a proton, releasing an electron:

Why does calcium-42 occur in Potassium-42?

Radioactive isotopes occur when the atomic nucleus is unstable and it emits either Alpha, Beta, or Gamma rays to stabilize the nucleus. It’s a result of Beta Decay! Calcium-42 occurs due to the emission of a beta particle in Potassium-42 ! This means that in potassium-42 a neutron is split into a proton and an electron.

What happens to the neutron in Potassium-42?

This means that in potassium-42 a neutron is split into a proton and an electron. The electron is released as a Beta particle while the proton is added on to the nucleus making it no longer potassium but calcium instead! Sources!