Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]PhysicsThe Nucleus
Carbon ( Z = 6 ) possessing mass number 11 decays into boron ( Z = 5 ). Identify the type of decay taking place.
Options
- A⁻ -decay
- B-decay
- C⁺ -decay
- D-decay
Correct answer
C. ⁺ -decay
Step-by-step solution
The nuclear reaction for the decay of Carbon-11 into Boron-11 can be written as: ¹¹₆ C ¹¹₅ B + ⁰_ +1 e + In this process, the mass number remains unchanged ( A = 11 ) while the atomic number decreases by 1 (from Z = 6 to Z = 5 ). This indicates that a proton is converted into a neutron, emitting a positron ( e⁺ or ⁺ ) and a neutrino ( ). Therefore, the process is ⁺ -decay.