Alpha and Beta decay

[username n/a]

So I have a science test tomorow on alpha and beta decay, but I have no ieda how to do it, I tried google but it just confused me more. Help me TB.

 

[Vince S.]

Link Removed

 

[blizzard]

Don't you have a text book or notes that you could read up on this.

 

[santucci218]

ask bill nye.

 

[Scarlet Fire]

Alpha decay means you're emitting a Helium nucleus. Beta decay means you're emitting an electron.

So, by emitting a Helium nucleus, your mass number will decrease by four, and your charge will become more negative (since you're losing 2 protons, but no electrons).

By emitting an electron, your mass number will stay the same, but your charge will become more positive (subtracting a negative is like adding a positive).

 

[FL Knifemaker]

Alpha decay means you're emitting a Helium nucleus. Beta decay means you're emitting an electron.

So, by emitting a Helium nucleus, your mass number will decrease by four, and your charge will become more negative (since you're losing 2 protons, but no electrons).

By emitting an electron, your mass number will stay the same, but your charge will become more positive (subtracting a negative is like adding a positive).

+1 That's exactly what I was going to say

 

[Geoff St. Germaine]

Alpha decay means you're emitting a Helium nucleus. Beta decay means you're emitting an electron.

So, by emitting a Helium nucleus, your mass number will decrease by four, and your charge will become more negative (since you're losing 2 protons, but no electrons).

By emitting an electron, your mass number will stay the same, but your charge will become more positive (subtracting a negative is like adding a positive).

Beta decay includes both beta particles, so there is β- (electron) and β+ (positron) decay. I am also fairly certain that β+ decay is always accompanied by electron capture to initiate the decay process, but check a textbook to be sure. Beta decay is also the most familiar effect of the weak interaction (weak nuclear force).

 

[Fontaine]

username, im shocked and appalled that your not ready for this exam, anyway im off to enjoy Christmas break!

 

[Scarlet Fire]

Beta decay includes both beta particles, so there is β- (electron) and β+ (positron) decay. I am also fairly certain that β+ decay is always accompanied by electron capture to initiate the decay process, but check a textbook to be sure. Beta decay is also the most familiar effect of the weak interaction (weak nuclear force).

Oh, I wasn't aware that Beta decay could include a positron. When we learned this, we just dealt with positrons as their own separate process (positron emission).

 

[Geoff St. Germaine]

I can't say what I was initially taught in high school regarding beta decay as it was probably 9 years ago, but from nuclear physics in university I know that we were taught both beta decays together (β+ and β-).

 

[Brad Barker]

don't forget your neutrinos in beta decay processes! gotta conserve lepton number, yo.

 

[BellBottomBlues]

ask bill nye.

the science guy

*techno beat*

you could do what everyone else does and use wikipedia