Question 1

Question

What type of nuclear radiation is given off in the nuclear reaction below?
35/16 S ___ +35/17 Ci

a
Gamma radiation

b
Alpha radiation

c
Beta radiation

Answer 1

To identify the type of nuclear radiation in the given nuclear reaction:

\[ ^{35}{16}S \rightarrow , ? , + , ^{35}{17}Cl \]

We notice that sulfur (\(^{35}{16}S\)) is transforming into chlorine (\(^{35}{17}Cl\)).

• The atomic mass (nucleon number) remains the same at 35.
• The atomic number increases from 16 (for sulfur) to 17 (for chlorine).

This means that a neutron is being converted into a proton, which is a characteristic of beta radiation. In beta decay (\(\beta^-\)), a neutron decays into a proton, emitting a beta particle (which is an electron).

Thus, the answer is:

c. Beta radiation