Use the equation to answer the prompt. 10 6C→10 5B+ 0+1e 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. (2 points)

Answer 1

The error in the student's reasoning is that the atomic number of the nucleus does not always decrease by one in beta-minus decay. In this specific equation, the atomic number decreases by one, but in other cases the decrease may be different depending on the specific isotopes involved in the decay.