High School Why Ag 108 decays into Cd 108 most of the time?

[Anonymous324]

In the table of nuclides, it shows that Ag 108 can go through either electron capture or beta- decay (though the branching ratio for electron capture decay is much lower). What determines that? Do nuclides try to maximize binding energy or binding energy per nucleon? And is decay into Palladium much rarer because of the conditions necessary for electron capture are hard to come by?

 

[Vanadium 50]

What determines that?

Thats' an entire course on nuclear physics.

Like many odd-odd nuclei, it can beta decay in either direction. Which ones dominate depends on the details of their energy levels and quantum numbers.

Furthermore the two decays differ by about a factor of 30. This is not all that huge as such things go.