NEET2020PhysicsNuclear PhysicsActual
What happens to the mass number and atomic number of an element when it emits γ -radiation
Options
- AMass number decreases by four and atomic number decreases by two.
- BMass number and atomic number remain unchanged.
- CMass number remains unchanged while atomic number decreases by one.
- DMass number increases by four and atomic number increases by two.
Correct answer
B. Mass number and atomic number remain unchanged.
Step-by-step solution
In radioactive decay of alpha particle and beta particle, the atomic number changes in both cases and in alpha decay mass number also change, after decay, the element gets in the excited state to take it in the ground state the gamma emission itself occurs and energy released in terms of the photon, but there is no change in atomic number and mass number after gamma decay.