Answer :
Final answer:
The nuclear equation for the beta decay of cerium-141 is 141Ce -> 141Pr + 0−1β + γ, where cerium-141 decays into praseodymium-141 with emission of a beta particle and usually a gamma ray.
Explanation:
The nuclear equation for the beta decay of cerium-141 involves the transformation of a neutron into a proton with the emission of a beta particle (an electron) and usually a gamma ray. The equation can be written as:
^{141}Ce → ^{141}Pr + ^0_{-1}β + γ
Here, cerium-141 (Ce), which has the atomic number 58, decays into praseodymium-141 (Pr), with the atomic number 59. The emission of the beta particle increases the atomic number by one, but the mass number remains the same, as only a high-energy electron and a gamma ray (γ) are emitted, which are negligible in mass compared to nucleons.
