Alpha radiation and beta radiation are also produced by radioactive decay. Compare the processes of alpha decay and beta decay. Your answer should include what each radiation is and what effect each decay has on the original nucleus.

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1. Alpha decay is when an unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle, which is made of 4 particles – 2 protons and 2 neutrons – and is the same as a helium nucleus. It is a particle, not a wave, and it has a positive charge. When alpha radiation is emitted, the atomic number goes down by 2 and the mass number goes down by 4, because the nucleus loses those particles.

   Beta decay is when the nucleus emits a beta particle, which is an electron (or positron). A beta particle is made of 1 particle and is also a particle, not a wave. It has a negative charge. When beta radiation is emitted, the atomic number goes up by 1, because a neutron turns into a proton. However, the mass number stays the same because the total number of particles in the nucleus doesn’t change.

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