Can you write the nuclear decay equation for the beta decay of iodine-131?

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Can you write the nuclear decay equation for the beta decay of iodine-131?

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Answer 1 · 2014-08-20T19:21:11

The equation is $_{53}^{131} I \to_{54}^{131} Xe + l_{-1}^{0} e$ $""_53^131"I" → ""_54^131"Xe" + color(white)(l)_text(-1)^0"e"$

Explanation:

β decay is a process in which a nucleus emits an electron.

The nuclear symbol for a β particle is $l_{-1}^{0} e$ $color(white)(l)_text(-1)^0"e"$ .

In any nuclear equation, the sum of the subscripts (atomic numbers, $Z$ $"Z"$ ) and the sum of the superscripts (atomic masses, $M$ $"M"$ ) must be equal on each side of the equation.

For the β decay of iodine 131, we have

$_{53}^{131} I \to l_{Z}^{M} X + l_{-1}^{0} e$ $""_53^131"I" → color(white)(l)_text(Z)^"M""X" + color(white)(l)_text(-1)^0"e"$

Hence

$131 = M + 0$ $131 = "M" + 0$ , so $M = 131$ $"M" = 131$
$53 = Z - 1$ $53 = "Z - 1"$ , so $Z = 53 + 1 = 54$ $"Z" = 53 + 1 = 54$

The element $X$ $"X"$ with $Z = 54$ $"Z = 54"$ is $Xe$ $"Xe"$ .

So the equation is

$_{53}^{131} I \to_{54}^{131} Xe + l_{-1}^{0} e$ $""_53^131"I" → ""_54^131"Xe" + color(white)(l)_text(-1)^0"e"$

Note that in β decay, the product has the same mass number but an atomic number that has increased by 1.

Here's a video on writing β decay equations.

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Can you write the nuclear decay equation for the beta decay of iodine-131?

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