Decay of which nucleus will lead to the following products: (c) tantalum-179 by electron capture?

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Identify the process of electron capture, where an inner orbital electron is captured by the nucleus, leading to a decrease in the atomic number by 1.

Recognize that tantalum-179 (Ta-179) is the product of this decay process, meaning the original nucleus must have had an atomic number one higher than tantalum.

Determine the atomic number of tantalum, which is 73, so the original nucleus must have had an atomic number of 74.

Identify the element with atomic number 74, which is tungsten (W).

Conclude that the decay of tungsten-179 (W-179) by electron capture will lead to the formation of tantalum-179 (Ta-179).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Electron Capture

Electron capture is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus captures an inner-shell electron, typically from the K-shell. This process results in the conversion of a proton into a neutron, leading to a decrease in atomic number while the mass number remains unchanged. It is a common decay mode for proton-rich isotopes, allowing them to achieve a more stable configuration.

Nuclear Stability

Nuclear stability refers to the ability of a nucleus to remain intact without undergoing radioactive decay. Factors influencing stability include the ratio of neutrons to protons, the presence of magic numbers of nucleons, and the overall binding energy of the nucleus. Unstable nuclei tend to undergo decay processes, such as beta decay or electron capture, to reach a more stable state.

Tantalum-179

Tantalum-179 is a specific isotope of tantalum, which has an atomic number of 73. It is produced through the decay of other isotopes, such as tungsten-179, via electron capture. Understanding the decay pathways and the parent isotopes that lead to the formation of tantalum-179 is essential for predicting its occurrence and behavior in nuclear reactions.