question_answer 36)

  Tritium is an isotope of hydrogen whose nucleus Triton contains 2 neutrons and 1 proton. Free neutrons decay into If one of the neutrons in Triton decays, it would transform into He3 nucleus. This does not happen. This is because (a) Triton energy is less than that of a He3 nucleus (b) the electron created in the beta decay process can not remain in the nucleus (c) both the neutrons in triton have to decay simultaneously resulting in a nucleus with 3 protons, which is not a He3 nucleus (d) because free neutrons decay due to external perturbations which is absent in a triton nucleus

Answer:

  (a)Tritium . The nucleus contains 1 proton and 2 neutrons. If one neutron decays the nucleus may have 2 protons and one neutron, i.e., tritium will transform into 2He3 (with 2 protons and one neutron). But this does not happen because triton energy is less than that of2He3 nucleus, i.e. transformation is not allowed energetically. Choice (a) is correct.