The beta decay process: a neutron decays into a proton and an electron
(beta radiation) with the emission of a anti-neutrino
Contemporary Physics Education Project
Related links:
A movie of the beta decay process (467K MPEG) Movie courtesy of University of Oregon
Beta Decay Process
In the beta decay process: a neutron decays into a
proton and an electron (beta radiation).
The process also requires the emission of a neutrino
(in this case an anti-neutrino) to maintain
momentum and energy balance.
This material is considered too complex to be written about at an intermediate or beginner level, so all levels appear in the advanced form.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Cool It! is the new card game from the Union of Concerned Scientists that teaches kids about the choices we have when it comes to climate change—and how policy and technology decisions made today will matter. Cool It! is available in our
online store.
You might also be interested in:
A neutron is a sub-atomic (meaning it is smaller than an atom) particle. The nucleus of an atom is made up of neutrons and protons. Neutrons and protons are almost exactly the same size (a neutron has
...more
Neutron capture can occur when a neutron approaches a nucleus close enough for nuclear forces to be effective. The neutron is captured and forms a heavier isotope of the capturing element. When the new
...more
The theory of relativity states that no particle can travel at the speed of light in a vacuum. However, light travels at lower speeds in dense media, like water. A particle traveling in water must have
...more
Neutrino interactions with matter are extremely rare, so detecting a neutrino is very hard. Neutrino detectors are typically large, underground tanks filled with a fluid that reacts to the passage of neutrinos.
...more
Super-Kamiokande is a neutrino detector located in the Kamioka Mozumi mine in Japan. Water fills this huge tank. In fact, it is the world's largest underground neutrino detector experiment (built under
...more
IMF stands for Interplanetary Magnetic Field. It is another name for the Sun's magnetic field. The Sun's magnetic field is huge! It goes beyond any of the planets. The Sun's magnetic field got its name
...more
In the basic Hydrogen fusion cycle, four Hydrogen nuclei (protons) come together to make a Helium nucleus. This is the simple version of the story. There are actually electrons, neutrinos and photons involved
...more
