During a radioactive decay process, both the atomic number and the mass number remain unchanged. Identify the particle that is emitted in this decay.

Question

Quantrex Academy · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: C. Photon

In a radioactive decay process, if both the atomic number and the mass number of the nucleus remain unchanged, the decay corresponds to gamma emission.

During gamma decay, a nucleus in an excited state transitions to a lower energy state by emitting a high-energy electromagnetic radiation, which is a photon.

For the other options:
Proton emission decreases both the atomic number and the mass number by

1

.
Neutron emission decreases the mass number by

1

while the atomic number remains unchanged.
Electron emission (beta decay) increases the atomic number by

1

while the mass number remains unchanged.

Thus, the emitted particle is a photon.

During a radioactive decay process, both the atomic number and the...

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