Question

What is the nuclear equation for the beta decay of Sn126?

Answer 1

The nuclear equation for the beta decay of Tin-126 can be written like this:

`""_50^126Sn -> ""_51^126Sb + beta`, where

`beta` represents a beta-particle, which essentially is an electron.

During beta decay, an electron is emitted from a neutron in the nucleus of Sn-126. The loss of an electron, which is a negatively-charged particle, leaves behind a proton; this causes the atomic number to increase by 1, but keeps the atomic mass unchanged.

A nuclear transmutation occurs after a beta decay, which explainsthe formation of Antimony-126 (Sb-126).