Question

Describe what happens to a carbon-11 atom when it undergoes positron emission. The decay of a carbon-11 atom , and this causes it to emit .

Answer 1

Answer : The decay of a carbon-11 atom is $\beta^+$ decay, and this causes it to emit positron particles.

Explanation :

Positron decay : It is a process in which a proton gets converted to neutron and an electron neutrino and releases positron particles. This particle carries a charge of +1 units.

The general reaction is represented as,

$_A^Z\textrm{X}\rightarrow _A^{Z-1}\textrm{Y}+_{+1}^0e$

The reaction for carbon-11 atom will be,

$_6^{11}\textrm{C}\rightarrow _5^{11}\textrm{B}+_{+1}^0e$

In this reaction, proton of carbon converted to neutron and an electron neutrino that means boron form and releases positron particles.

Hence, the decay of a carbon-11 atom is $\beta^+$ decay, and this causes it to emit positron particles.