ays ▁into ▁sul fur - 3 2 ▁by ▁beta ▁decay ▁as ▁shown ▁in ▁this ▁nuclear ▁equation : ▁{ | ▁border =" 0 " ▁| - ▁style =" height : 2 em ;" ▁| ▁|| → ▁|| ▁|| + ▁|| ▁|| + ▁|| ▁| } ▁ 1 . 7 0 9 ▁Me V ▁of ▁energy ▁is ▁released ▁during ▁the ▁decay . ▁The ▁kin etic ▁energy ▁of ▁the ▁electron ▁var ies ▁with ▁an ▁average ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 0 . 5 ▁Me V ▁and ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁energy ▁is ▁carried ▁by ▁the ▁nearly ▁und et ect able ▁electron ▁ant ine ut r ino . ▁In ▁comparison ▁to ▁other ▁beta ▁radiation - em itting ▁nu cl ides ▁the ▁electron ▁is ▁moder ately ▁ener get ic . ▁It ▁is ▁blocked ▁by ▁around ▁ 1 ▁m ▁of ▁air ▁or ▁ 5   mm ▁of ▁ac ry lic ▁glass . ▁ ▁The ▁sul fur - 3 2 ▁nucle us ▁produced ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁ground ▁state ▁so ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁additional ▁g amma ▁ray ▁emission . ▁ ▁Production ▁ ▁Ph osph orus - 3 2 ▁has ▁important ▁uses ▁in ▁medicine , ▁bio chem istry ▁and ▁mole cular ▁bi ology . ▁It ▁only ▁exists ▁naturally ▁on ▁earth ▁in ▁very ▁small ▁amounts ▁and ▁its ▁short ▁half - life ▁means ▁useful ▁quantities ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁produced ▁synth et ically . ▁Ph osph orus - 3 2 ▁can ▁be ▁generated ▁synth et ically ▁by ▁ir rad iation ▁of ▁sul fur - 3 2 ▁with ▁moder ately ▁fast ▁neut rons ▁as ▁shown ▁in ▁this ▁nuclear