Neutron Emission
Neutron emission is a type of nuclear decay in which an unstable atomic nucleus ejects a neutron.
Neutron emission occurs in neutron-rich isotopes.
An Example of Neutron Emission
Beryllium-15 is an isotope of beryllium that decays via neutron emission to beryllium-14. The nuclear equation below represents this process.
$$_{4}^{15}\textrm{Be} \, \rightarrow \, _{4}^{14}\textrm{Be} + n$$
As no protons are lost from the original nucleus, the atomic number does not change, and the atom does not become a different element. As one neutron is lost, the mass number of the original nucleus decreases by 1, and the nucleus becomes a different isotope of the same element.