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Electron Capture & Positron Emission quiz

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  • What happens during electron capture in an unstable nucleus?
    The nucleus absorbs an inner orbital electron, which combines with a proton to form a neutron, reducing the proton count.
  • Why do nuclei undergo electron capture?
    Nuclei with excess protons undergo electron capture to decrease the number of protons and increase the number of neutrons for stability.
  • What is the result of electron capture in cesium-131?
    Cesium-131 absorbs an electron and transforms into xenon-131.
  • How are mass and atomic numbers affected during electron capture?
    The mass number remains unchanged, but the atomic number decreases by one due to the conversion of a proton to a neutron.
  • What is positron emission?
    Positron emission is when a proton in the nucleus transforms into a neutron and emits a positron, decreasing the proton count.
  • What is a positron and how is it symbolized?
    A positron is the antiparticle of the electron, symbolized as 0 with a positive charge, and has no mass number.
  • What happens when a positron and an electron collide?
    They annihilate each other, producing two gamma rays.
  • Why do nuclei undergo positron emission?
    Nuclei with excess protons emit positrons to decrease the number of protons and increase the number of neutrons.
  • What is the result of positron emission in cesium-130?
    Cesium-130 emits a positron and transforms into xenon-130.
  • How are mass and atomic numbers affected during positron emission?
    The mass number remains unchanged, but the atomic number decreases by one as a proton becomes a neutron.
  • What is the main purpose of electron capture and positron emission?
    Both processes help stabilize nuclei with excess protons by reducing the proton count and increasing the neutron count.
  • What must be conserved in nuclear reactions like electron capture and positron emission?
    Both mass number and atomic number must remain consistent before and after the transformation.
  • What element is produced when cesium undergoes electron capture or positron emission?
    Xenon is produced when cesium undergoes either electron capture or positron emission.
  • What is the relationship between protons and neutrons in electron capture?
    A proton combines with an electron to form a neutron, decreasing the proton count and increasing the neutron count.
  • How does positron emission affect the composition of the nucleus?
    A proton is converted into a neutron and a positron is emitted, reducing the number of protons and increasing the number of neutrons.