Alpha beta and gamma decay equations

Post on 07-May-2015

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Transcript of Alpha beta and gamma decay equations

Alpha,beta and gamma decay equations

Alpha decay is the emission of 2 protons and 2 neutrons from the nucleus

Can be represented by

Helium

Mass number falls by 4 and atomic number falls by 2

The LHS and RHS of the equations must balance

Beta is an electrons being ejected from the nucleus

For this to happen a neutron changes into a proton

Mass number stays the same but atomic number increases by 1

Gamma is just surplus energy

Gamma emission makes no change to the atomic number or mass number