Question

Illustrate the beta-plus decay that results in the formation of argon - 38.

Answer 1

In beta-plus decay, a proton transforms into a neutron, releasing a positron and a neutrino. This process results in an increase of 1 in the atomic number Z of an atom while the mass number A remains the same.

For the formation of argon-38, potassium-38 undergoes beta-plus decay to form argon-38. The nuclear reaction can be represented as:

38(K) -> 38(Ar) + 0(e⁺) + 0(v)

This reaction shows the transformation of a potassium-38 nucleus into an argon-38 nucleus by emitting a positron and a neutrino.