A beta minus particle is best described as which of the following?

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Multiple Choice

A beta minus particle is best described as which of the following?

Explanation:
In beta minus decay, a neutron inside the nucleus converts into a proton while emitting an electron (the beta minus particle) and an antineutrino. The particle emitted in this process is the electron, which has a negative charge and small mass compared to the nucleus. Therefore the beta minus particle is best described as a high-energy electron with charge −1. It is not a helium nucleus (that would be an alpha particle), not a proton, and not a neutron—the emitted particle is the electron produced in the decay.

In beta minus decay, a neutron inside the nucleus converts into a proton while emitting an electron (the beta minus particle) and an antineutrino. The particle emitted in this process is the electron, which has a negative charge and small mass compared to the nucleus. Therefore the beta minus particle is best described as a high-energy electron with charge −1. It is not a helium nucleus (that would be an alpha particle), not a proton, and not a neutron—the emitted particle is the electron produced in the decay.

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