Electron capture and positron emission are competing modes of decay that lead to what?

Electron capture and positron emission are competing modes of decay that lead to what?

• A. Different daughter nuclides
• B. The same daughter nuclide
• C. Multiple energy levels
• D. Only alpha particles

Answer: (B)

Electron capture and positron emission are both types of beta decay that involve a proton in the nucleus transforming into a neutron. Despite differing in their mechanisms—electron capture involves an inner orbital electron being captured by the nucleus, while positron emission involves the ejection of a positron—both processes ultimately result in the same transformation of the element. In both decay processes, a proton is converted to a neutron, resulting in a decrease in the atomic number by one while the mass number remains unchanged. This leads to the formation of the same daughter nuclide. For example, when a proton in a carbon-11 nucleus undergoes positron emission, it transforms into boron-11, while electron capture from carbon-11 also produces boron-11. Thus, both decay modes yield the same daughter nuclide, emphasizing the nature of these specific decay processes being competing channels leading to an identical outcome.

Electron capture and positron emission are both types of beta decay that involve a proton in the nucleus transforming into a neutron. Despite differing in their mechanisms—electron capture involves an inner orbital electron being captured by the nucleus, while positron emission involves the ejection of a positron—both processes ultimately result in the same transformation of the element.

In both decay processes, a proton is converted to a neutron, resulting in a decrease in the atomic number by one while the mass number remains unchanged. This leads to the formation of the same daughter nuclide. For example, when a proton in a carbon-11 nucleus undergoes positron emission, it transforms into boron-11, while electron capture from carbon-11 also produces boron-11. Thus, both decay modes yield the same daughter nuclide, emphasizing the nature of these specific decay processes being competing channels leading to an identical outcome.