Exam-style question
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Which radiation type is emitted during the decay of unstable nuclei and can be either positively or negatively charged?.
- A.Alpha radiation
- B.Beta radiation
- C.Gamma radiation
- D.Neutron radiation
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- Beta radiation
Explanation
Why this works
Beta radiation is defined as radiation consisting of electrons (beta-minus) or positrons (beta-plus) emitted from unstable nuclei during radioactive decay. The key difference between beta radiation and alpha radiation is that beta particles are much lighter and can be either negatively or positively charged, while alpha particles are positively charged helium nuclei.
Beta radiation applies in scenarios such as radioactive decay processes in nuclear reactors and medical applications. Therefore, beta radiation is emitted during the decay of unstable nuclei and can be either positively or negatively charged.
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