During a study of radioactive decay, a physicist starts with an unstable nucleus containing 44 protons and 61 neutrons. The nucleus emits a beta-minus particle and then a neutron. The physicist prepares four possible records for the nucleus left after both emissions.
| record | number of protons | number of neutrons |
|---|---|---|
| A | 45 | 59 |
| B | 45 | 60 |
| C | 43 | 61 |
| D | 44 | 60 |
Which record gives the correct numbers of protons and neutrons?
record C
record B
record A
record D
120 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 6.3 Nuclear equations and decay, covering 6.3.1 Beta-minus and beta-plus decay, 6.3.2 Effects of decay on the nucleus, and 6.3.3 Balancing nuclear equations. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.