Beta Decay

Beta decay is a type of radioactive decay by which an unstable isotope emits a fast energetic electron (Beta particle) to compensate for the relationship between protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

In this type of decay, a neutron from the nucleus will turn into a proton and a highly energetic electron. This electron, generated in the nucleus, is expelled from it in a high energy state.

In beta decay, the atomic mass is almost constant (only 1 electron is lost), while the atomic number decreases by 1 unit. The total loss of mass is smaller than in alpha decay, since only one electron is expelled from the atom. This happens with, for example, Nitrogen-12. One proton of Nitrogen-12 (Z=7) turns into a neutron, resulting in Carbon-12 (Z=6) and the emission of an electron from the nucleus (beta particle).