Why decay of proton and neutron is possible inside the nucleus?

The decay of proton to neutron is possible only inside the nucleus because proton has smaller mass than neutron.

What happens if a proton decays inside the nucleus?

Beta decay occurs when, in a nucleus with too many protons or too many neutrons, one of the protons or neutrons is transformed into the other. In beta plus decay, a proton decays into a neutron, a positron, and a neutrino: p Æ n + e+ +n.

Is decay of proton to neutron possible?

The decay of a proton to a neutron is possible only inside the nucleus. This means that mass difference between neutron and proton must be supplied in terms of energy for this decay to occur.

How a proton can be converted into neutron?

Proton gets converted to neutron by the process of beta decay, which is, like any other decay, is spontaneous. In beta decay, beta particles like electron or positron is emitted. There are two types of beta decay, the beta plus and beta minus.

Why do isolated neutrons decay?

Most neutrons that exist in nature are part of non-radioactive atomic nuclei, where they can essentially last forever. But isolated neutrons, such as those produced by nuclear fission, are unstable and decay into protons. During the process, each decaying neutron emits an electron and an antineutrino.

Why does a neutron decay?

While neutrons are stable inside many nuclei, free neutrons decay with a lifetime of about 15 minutes. This makes them a radiation problem around nuclear reactors, since they can leak out of the reactor and decay. The neutron decays into a proton, an electron, and an antineutrino of the electron type.

How does a neutron change into a proton?

In beta less (β−) rot, a neutron is changed over to a proton and the procedure makes an electron and an electron antineutrino; while in beta in addition to (β+) rot, a proton is changed over to a neutron and the procedure makes a positron and an electron neutrino.

What might a proton decay into?

Proton decay would be possible because quarks could decay into leptons. Scientists predict that if the proton does fall apart, it will decay into a positron and a neutral pion. However, the collective mass of these particles would be far below that of the original proton.

Does a neutron weigh as much as a proton?

The neutron is very slightly heavier than the proton, by about 0.1\%, or 1.00137841887 according to the best measurements. Why is this? Did the Great Cosmic Designer initially intend the proton and neutron to have same mass but then threw in a bit more for the neutron as an afterthought?

How is neutron transforms into proton and electron?

The radioactive beta decay is due to the weak interaction, which transforms a neutron into a proton, an electron, and an electron antineutrino.