For a negative beta particle why is it that its mass number is 0 and its atomic number is -1 because if : mass number = num of (protons + neutrons) and atomic number= num of (protons) , why wouldn't the mass number be -1 aswell , I know the mass of an electron is 0 but if protons make up the mass and atomic numbers then why is just the atomic number -1?
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The so-called mass number is really a nucleon count, since the neutron's mass is very slightly more than the proton's, while the electron's is nearly 2000 times smaller. In fact, we can think of it more fundamentally as a conserved quantity called the baryon number (for which each nucleon scores 1, while the electron scores 0).
J.G.
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In reality during a nuclear reaction, Mass number and electric charge is conserved rather than atomic number which you are emphasising. So your problem will get sorted. Here electric charge means total charge on the constituent of nuclear reaction.
