In beta-plus decay (β+ decay), a proton in the nucleus is converted into a neutron, and a positron (the antimatter counterpart of an electron) is emitted.
As a result:
- The mass number remains the same because the total number of nucleons (protons + neutrons) does not change.
- The atomic number decreases by one because there is one less proton.
Therefore, the correct statement is: The mass number remains the same, and the atomic number decreases by one.