What are some common radioisotopes that decay by electron capture?

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What are some common radioisotopes that decay by electron capture?

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Answer 1 · 2014-08-28T16:53:09

Electron capture is a process in which a nucleus with too many protons absorbs an electron from an inner orbital

This changes a proton to a neutron and simultaneously emits an electron neutrino.

Here are some examples.

$_{- 1}^{0} e +_{4}^{7} Be \to_{3}^{7} Li + ν_{e}$ $""_-1^0"e" + _4^7"Be" → _3^7"Li" + ν_e$

$_{- 1}^{0} e +_{13}^{26} Al \to_{12}^{26} Mg + ν_{e}$ $""_-1^0"e" + _13^26"Al" → _12^26"Mg" + ν_e$

$_{- 1}^{0} e +_{19}^{40} K \to_{18}^{40} Ar + ν_{e}$ $""_-1^0"e" + _19^40"K" → _18^40"Ar" + ν_e$

$_{- 1}^{0} e +_{28}^{59} Ni \to_{27}^{59} Co + ν_{e}$ $""_-1^0"e" + _28^59"Ni" → _27^59"Co" + ν_e$

$_{- 1}^{0} e +_{37}^{83} Rb \to_{36}^{83} Kr + ν_{e}$ $""_-1^0"e" + _37^83"Rb" → _36^83"Kr" + ν_e$

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In each case, we lose a proton, but we gain a neutron. The atomic mass stays the same, but the new element has one atomic number less than the original had.

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What are some common radioisotopes that decay by electron capture?

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