What do quarks have to do with creating a beta particle?

Answer 1

Beta decay involves changing an up quark into a down quark (Beta+) or a down quark into an up quark (Beta-). This causes a neutron to change into a proton (Beta-) and emit a W- boson which decays into a beta particle (electron and electron antineutrino), or, with extra energy, it causes a proton to change into a neutron (Beta+) which emits a beta particle (positron and electron neutrino).

Quarks are involved because protons and neutrons are comprised of quarks in sets of three, two up quarks and one down quark to form a proton, and two down quarks and one up quark to form a neutron.

Answer 2

Quarks make up particles like protons and neutrons, which are composed of combinations of different quarks. In beta decay, a neutron transforms into a proton, an electron (beta particle), and an antineutrino. During this process, a down quark in the neutron changes into an up quark, facilitating the proton formation.