question_answer

Explain with an example, whether the neutron-proton ratio in a nucleus increases or decreases due to beta (\[\beta \]) decay.

Answer:

                 In a \[\beta \] -decay, a neutron gets converted into a proton. So the neutron-proton ratio decreases. Consider the \[\beta \] -decay: \[_{83}^{210}Bi\to _{84}^{210}Po+_{-1}^{0}e\] Neutron-proton ratio before \[\beta \] -decay \[=\frac{210-83}{83}=\frac{127}{83}\] Neutron-proton ratio after \[\beta \] -decay \[=\frac{210-84}{84}=\frac{126}{84}\] As           \[\frac{126}{84}<\frac{127}{83}\] Thus the neutron-proton ratio decreases in a \[\beta \] -decay.