What happens to the atomic number and mass number of a radioactive nucleus when it emits a gamma ray?
A. Both atomic number and mass number decrease by 1.
B. Both atomic number and mass number remain completely unchanged.
C. Atomic number decreases by 2, mass number decreases by 4.
D. Atomic number increases by 1, mass number remains the same.
Answer: Option B
Solution (By JKSSB Mock Tests)
Gamma emission is the release of high-energy electromagnetic radiation (photons) from a nucleus transitioning from an excited high-energy state to a lower, stable energy state. Gamma rays carry no mass and no electrical charge. Therefore, the emission of a gamma ray does not alter the number of protons (atomic number) or the total number of nucleons (mass number) of the atom.
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