GC DAT destroyer #83

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drobgyn32

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What is true about a positron emission?
a) A neutron is converted into a proton and electron
b) A neutron is emitted
c) The atomic mass decreases by one
d) Atomic number decreases by one
e) More than one above

I get why d is true...but why isnt b true as well? Doesn't a proton become a neutron here?
 
a positron is a positively charged electron. So, in emitting the positive charge, you're transforming a proton into a neutron. The neutron isn't emitted, its the positive charge that is emitted.
 
I always draw these out and it helps a lot. Pick a random element and draw out a positive charge electron on the right side of the equation and see what happens. That is your answer (neutrons aren't emitted in this case).
 
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