Overview
I'm working on a chemistry question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.
1) An electron from the closest energy level interacts with the weak force, after the proton becomes a neutron due to a quark change for some reason; 2) A neutrino is emitted due to the electron interacting with the particular type of weak force; 3) Another electron falls into the empty energy level and so on causing a cascade of electrons falling. One free electron, moving about in space, falls into the outermost empty level. (Incidentally, this cascade of electrons falling creates a characteristic cascade of lines, most likely predominantly in the X-ray portion of the spectrum. This is the fingerprint of electron capture.); 4) The atomic number deceases by one while the mass number remains unchanged.