In beta decay, a neutron can transform into a proton through a process involving the weak nuclear force. This transformation occurs in certain types of atomic nuclei that have an excess of neutrons compared to protons.
The weak nuclear force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature, along with gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong nuclear force. It is responsible for certain nuclear processes, including beta decay. Beta decay involves the transformation of a neutron (n) into a proton (p), an electron (e⁻), and an antineutrino (ν̄e).
The process can be described as follows:
A neutron inside the nucleus undergoes a transformation where it is converted into a proton. This is achieved through the weak interaction, specifically the conversion of a down quark (contained in the neutron) into an up quark (contained in the proton) while emitting a W⁻ boson.
n ⟶ p + W⁻
The W⁻ boson is short-lived and rapidly decays into an electron (e⁻) and an antineutrino (ν̄e):
W⁻ ⟶ e⁻ + ν̄e
So, overall, the neutron transforms into a proton by changing the identity of one of its constituent quarks, specifically a down quark becoming an up quark. This change is facilitated by the weak nuclear force and is accompanied by the emission of an electron and an antineutrino.
It's important to note that beta decay can take different forms: beta-minus decay (where a neutron transforms into a proton), beta-plus decay (where a proton transforms into a neutron), and electron capture (where an electron is absorbed by the nucleus, converting a proton into a neutron). These processes are all related to the weak nuclear force and involve changes in the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.