WAEC Chemistry 2010 Paper

Concept:Beta decay is a nuclear process in which an unstable nucleus emits a beta particle, $\mathrm{^{0}_{-1}e}$, which is an electron.Explanation:To identify beta decay, check the products for $\mathrm{^{0}_{-1}e}$.In beta-minus decay, a neutron changes into a proton, so the mass number stays the same while the atomic number increases by 1.Options A and D involve $\mathrm{^{4}_{2}He}$ and $\mathrm{^{1}_{1}H}$, so they are not beta decay.Option B produces $\mathrm{^{4}_{2}He}$, which is the characteristic particle of alpha decay.Only Option C has $\mathrm{^{0}_{-1}e}$ as a product, which is a beta particle.Therefore, Option C correctly represents beta decay.Answer:Option C