- #1
coreluccio
- 35
- 2
During beta negative decay, in an unstable isotope, a neutron is converted into a proton, electron, and antineutrino. The electron and antineutrino are ejected from the atom and the proton remains in the nucleus to become the new daughter element.
For a beta negative decay reaction for some element, I decide to calculate the mass defect of the reaction by subtracting the masses of the reactants from the masses of the products. I use a chart of common atomic isotopes, each isotope's mass given in its neutral state.
Now, the daughter element has one more proton than the parent element did, but they both have the same number of electrons. The daughter element, then, has a positive charge of +1, right? So the mass of the daughter element, given on the chart, will give its neutral mass, assuming it has one more electron than it really does, and thus falsifying my calculations.
Is this the case or am I wrong on something?
For a beta negative decay reaction for some element, I decide to calculate the mass defect of the reaction by subtracting the masses of the reactants from the masses of the products. I use a chart of common atomic isotopes, each isotope's mass given in its neutral state.
Now, the daughter element has one more proton than the parent element did, but they both have the same number of electrons. The daughter element, then, has a positive charge of +1, right? So the mass of the daughter element, given on the chart, will give its neutral mass, assuming it has one more electron than it really does, and thus falsifying my calculations.
Is this the case or am I wrong on something?