The student's reasoning contains an error because beta-minus decay involves the conversion of a neutron into a proton, which increases the atomic number, not decreases it. In the provided equations, the atomic number of the resulting nucleus (10 5B) actually increases due to this conversion, contradicting the student's claim.
Use the equation to answer the prompt.
10 6C→10 5B+ 0+1e 610C→ 510B++1 0e
A student claims that the equation models beta-minus decay because the atomic number of the nucleus decreases by one. In one or two sentences, explain the error in the student's reasoning.
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