# [Answer] Which represents the balanced equation for the beta minus emission of phosphorus-32?

Which represents the balanced equation for the beta minus emission of phosphorus-32?

Phosphorus-32 ( P) is a radioactive isotope of phosphorus. The nucleus of phosphorus-32 contains 15 protons and 17 neutrons one more neutron than the most common isotope of phosphorus phosphorus-31. Phosphorus-32 only exists in small quantities on Earth as it has a short half-life of 14.268 days and so decays rapidly. Phosphorus is found in many organic molecules and so phosphorus-3…

Phosphorus-32 ( P) is a radioactive isotope of phosphorus. The nucleus of phosphorus-32 contains 15 protons and 17 neutrons one more neutron than the most common isotope of phosphorus phosphorus-31. Phosphorus-32 only exists in small quantities on Earth as it has a short half-life of 14.268 days and so decays rapidly. Phosphorus is found in many organic molecules and so phosphorus-32 has many applications in medicine biochemistry and molecular biology where it can be used to trace phosphorylated molecules (for example in elucidating metabolic pathways) and radioactively label DNA.

Phosphorus has a short half-life of 14.268 days and decays into sulfur-32 by beta decay as shown in this nuclear equation: 15P → 16S + e + ν e

Phosphorus has a short half-life of 14.268 days and decays into sulfur-32 by beta decay as shown in this nuclear equation: 15P → 16S + e + ν e 1.709 MeV of energy is released during the decay. The kinetic energy of the electron varies with an average of approximately 0.5 MeV and the remainder of the energy is carried by the nearly undetectable electron antineutrino . In comparison to other beta radiation-emitting nuclides the electron is moderately energetic. It is blocked by around 1 m of air or 5 mm of acrylic glass . The sulfur-32 nucleus produced is in the ground state so there is no additional gamma ray emission.

Description. The two types of beta decay are known as beta minus and beta plus.In beta minus (β −) decay a neutron is converted to a proton and the process creates an electron and an electron antineutrino; while in beta plus (β +) decay a proton is converted to a neutron and the process creates a positron and an electron neutrino. β + decay is also known as positron emission .

The diagram shows the type and energy of the emitted radiation its relative abundance and the daughter nuclides after decay. Phosphorus- 32 is a beta emitter widely used in medicine and has a short half-life of 14.29 days and decays into sulfur-32 by beta decay as shown in this nuclear equation : 32. 15P. →.

Sat Nov 05 2005 13:30:00 GMT-0500 (Eastern …