transmutation, conversion of one chemical element into another. A transmutation entails a change in the structure of atomic nuclei

and hence may be induced by a nuclear reaction (q.v.), such as neutron capture, or occur spontaneously by radioactive decay, such as alpha decay and beta decay

beta decay

In positron emission, also called positive beta decay (β⁺-decay), a proton in the parent nucleus decays into a neutron that remains in the daughter nucleus, and the nucleus emits a neutrino and a positron, which is a positive particle like an ordinary electron in mass but of opposite charge.

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Beta decay | physics | Britannica

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What is required for a nuclear transmutation to occur?

A transmutation can be achieved either by nuclear reactions (in which an outside particle reacts with a nucleus) or by radioactive decay (where no outside particle is needed). Therefore, in nuclear transmutation, an atom has its "identity" (e.g. atomic mass) "lost" (changed) due to nucleon alteration.

What is an example of transmutation?

In biology, transmutation occurs in species level wherein one species change into another by the process of evolution. ... In radiobiology, an example of transmutation is the transmutation of uranium-238 into plutonium-239 through the absorption of a neutron and subsequent beta emission.