COMEDK2023Evening ShiftPhysicsNuclear PhysicsActual
Which of the following statement is true when a gamma decay occurs from the nucleus of an atom?
Options
- AMass number is reduced by 4 and atomic number is reduced by 2
- BMass number is reduced by 4 and atomic number remains the same
- CMass number remains the same and atomic number increases by 1
- DMass number and atomic number are not changed
Correct answer
D. Mass number and atomic number are not changed
Step-by-step solution
Gamma decay involves the emission of high-energy electromagnetic radiation, known as gamma rays, from an excited nucleus to a lower energy state. During this process, the nucleus does not lose any protons or neutrons. Consequently, the number of protons (atomic number, Z ) and the total number of nucleons (mass number, A ) remain unchanged. The transition is represented as: _ Z ^ A X^ * _ Z ^ A X + . Therefore, both the mass number and the atomic number remain constant. Answer: Mass number and atomic number are not