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Electron Capture
Electron capture is one process that unstable atoms can use to
become more stable. During electron capture, an electron
in an atom's inner shell is drawn into the nucleus
where it combines with a proton,
forming a neutron
and a neutrino.
The neutrino is ejected from the atom's nucleus.
Since an atom loses a proton during electron capture, it changes
from one element to another. For example, after undergoing electron capture, an
atom of carbon
(with 6 protons) becomes an atom of boron
(with 5 protons).
Although the numbers of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus
change during electron capture, the total number of particles (protons +
neutrons) remains the same.
Electron capture is also called K-capture since the captured
electron usually comes from the atom's K-shell.
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