A laboratory study follows the decay of a single 22Na nucleus. The nucleus experiences the following sequence of events:
1. It undergoes a β+ decay and is left in an excited nuclear state.
2. The excited nucleus promptly emits a γ photon.
3. The resulting nucleus then undergoes a β− decay.
Assume the three processes occur in the exact order stated and that no other reactions take place.
(a) Identify the nuclide that exists immediately after the β+ decay. Show how mass number and atomic number are affected.
(b) Explain why the emission of a γ photon in step 2 does not alter the mass number or atomic number of the nucleus.
(c) Determine the nuclide that results from the β− decay in step 3. Show your reasoning clearly.
(d) Using the entire sequence, demonstrate that total nucleon number and electric charge are conserved from the original 22Na nucleus through to the final daughter nuclide.