From TheBestLinks.com
Alpha decay is a form of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus ejects an alpha particle and transforms into a nucleus with mass number 4 less and atomic number 2 less.
For example:
- <math>
{}^2{}^{38}_{92}\hbox{U}\;\to\;{}^2{}^{34}_{90}\hbox{Th}\;+\;{}^4_2\hbox{He},
<math>
although this is usually written as:
- <math>
{}^{238}\hbox{U}\;\to\;^{234}\hbox{Th}\;+\;\alpha.
<math>
Note that an alpha particle is a helium nucleus, and that both mass number and atomic number are conserved.
Alpha decay can essentially be thought of as nuclear fission where the parent nucleus splits into two daughter nuclei. Alpha decay is fundamentally a quantum tunneling process. In some radioactive substances when beta decay occurs along with alpha decay, atomic helium is formed.
ca:Partícula alfa
de:Alphazerfall
fr:Radioactivité α
it:Decadimento alfa
hu:Alfa-részecske
ja:アルファ崩壊
pl:Rozpad alfa
sl:Razpad alfa
sv:Alfa-sönderfall
Related links
Top visited
0 of
0 links
[no links posted yet]
>> place link >>
Discussion
Last posted
0 of
0 messages
[no messages posted yet]
>> post message >>
Watch
You can
add this article to your own "watchlist" and receive e-mail notification about all changes in this page.
