Re:Huge helium discovery 'a life-saving find'
by euyyn on Tuesday June 28, 2016 @12:34PM
(#11995158)
Yes.
Beta decay is positrons, and gamma radiation is just light. Hence why we call the energetic end of the spectrum "gamma rays".
Re:Huge helium discovery 'a life-saving find'
by _kst_ on Tuesday June 28, 2016 @02:59PM
(#11996501)
Beta decay is electrons.
Re:Huge helium discovery 'a life-saving find'
by nikdaheratik on Wednesday June 29, 2016 @09:37PM
(#12006041)
Because He nuclei are not the same as He atoms since they are not electrically neutral. Also, they generally have higher energy after being released from the larger Uranium or other atomic nucleus which causes them to behave differently from an He nucleus that wasn't released as an alpha particle. This all is important in terms of tracking what happens to subsequent decay reactions.
Re:Huge helium discovery 'a life-saving find'
by valarauca1 on Tuesday June 28, 2016 @01:10PM
(#11995484)
Yes.
Alpha Decay is just a low mass form of cluster decay.
Why not call it helium decay, since alpha particles are just helium nuclei? Or is this a case of "alpha particles" being named that before we knew what they are?