Tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, emits which of the following particles ?
Correct Answer :
Beta (β−)
Solution :
Tritium () is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that contains one proton and two neutrons in its nucleus.
Because it has an excess of neutrons, tritium undergoes a transformation in which one of its neutrons is converted into a proton. This nuclear change can be expressed as:
In this reaction, the neutron (n) changes into a proton (p) and releases an electron (
Consequently, the decay of tritium can be written as:
Therefore, the particle emitted by tritium is a beta‑minus particle.
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