A proton is captured by an oxygen-16 atom which in turn emits a deuteron.What is the element and mass number of the product isotope?
A)nitrogen-15
B)oxygen-17
C)oxygen-15
D)fluorine-15

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The initial reaction involves a proton being captured by an oxygen-16 atom, resulting in the formation of nitrogen-17:

p + O-16 → N-17

However, nitrogen-17 is unstable and undergoes beta decay, emitting a positron and a neutrino to form oxygen-17:

N-17 → O-17 + e+ + ν

Since a deuteron is not involved in the reaction, it is not part of the product isotope. The final product is oxygen-17, which has a mass number of 17. Therefore, the correct answer is choice B.

A Proton Is Captured by an Oxygen-16 Atom Which in Turn