No, when neutrons decay into protons, they do not give off electrons. Neutron decay, specifically beta decay, involves the transformation of a neutron into a proton while emitting an electron and an antineutrino. This process can be represented by the following equation:
n → p + e- + νₑ
In this equation, "n" represents a neutron, "p" represents a proton, "e-" represents an electron, and "νₑ" represents an electron antineutrino.
During beta decay, a down quark within the neutron transforms into an up quark, changing the neutron into a proton. To maintain charge conservation, an electron (with a negative charge) is emitted. Additionally, an electron antineutrino, which carries away the excess energy and other properties, is also released.
So, the decay of a neutron into a proton involves the emission of an electron and an antineutrino, rather than the neutron itself giving off an electron.