⁶¹⁴C → ⁶¹⁴N + ⁰⁻¹e + νₑ
Here's what each part represents:
* ⁶¹⁴C: This is the carbon-14 isotope, with 6 protons and 8 neutrons.
* ⁶¹⁴N: This is the nitrogen-14 isotope, with 7 protons and 7 neutrons.
* ⁰⁻¹e: This is a beta particle (electron) emitted during the decay.
* νₑ: This is an electron antineutrino, an almost massless particle also emitted during the decay.
Explanation:
In beta decay, a neutron within the nucleus transforms into a proton, emitting an electron and an antineutrino. This process increases the atomic number of the atom by one, changing the element.
In the case of carbon-14, a neutron converts to a proton, resulting in the formation of nitrogen-14. The electron is emitted as a beta particle, and an antineutrino is also released to conserve energy and momentum.
