Nuclear reaction 1: ²³⁸U + n⁰ → ²³⁹U.
Nuclear reaction 2: ²³⁹U → ²³⁹Np + e⁻ + electron antineutrino.
Nuclear reaction 3: ²³⁹Np → ²³⁹Pu + e⁻ + electron antineutrino.
Beta
decay is radioactive decay in which
a beta ray and a neutrino are emitted from an atomic
nucleus.
There are two types of beta
decay: beta minus and beta
plus. In beta minus decay, neutron is converted to a
proton and an electron and
an electron antineutrino.