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Question 28
Medium

An isotope of beryllium 47Be^{7}_{4}\text{Be}47​Be decays into an isotope of lithium (Li) by electron capture.

1.

Complete the equation for this decay by filling in the blanks:

47Be+−10e→‾Li+‾ ^{7}_{4}\text{Be} + ^{0}_{-1}\text{e} \rightarrow \underline{\quad}\text{Li} + \underline{\quad} 47​Be+−10​e→​Li+​
[2]
2.

Name the fundamental interaction responsible for this decay and explain why it is the only interaction capable of this change.

[2]
3.

After the decay, the lithium nucleus is in an excited state. It returns to its ground state by emitting a single gamma photon with an energy of 0.478 MeV0.478 \text{ MeV}0.478 MeV. Calculate the wavelength of this photon.

[3]
4.

Another isotope, beryllium-10 (410Be^{10}_{4}\text{Be}410​Be), decays by a different process to form boron-10 (510B^{10}_{5}\text{B}510​B). Suggest what particles are emitted in this second process and how they could be detected to distinguish it from the electron capture decay of beryllium-7.

[2]

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