Gamma radiation is produced by radioactive decay. Alpha radiation and beta radiation are also produced by radioactive decay. Compare the processes of alpha decay and beta decay. The answer should include what each radiation is and what effect each decay has on the original nucleus – 8020

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1. Alpha radiation is a type of particle radiation. An alpha particle is not a wave but is made up of 4 particles – 2 protons and 2 neutrons – which is the same as a helium nucleus. It has a positive charge because of the protons. When a nucleus emits an alpha particle, the atomic number of the element decreases by 2 because it loses two protons. The mass number goes down by 4 as it loses two protons and two neutrons.

   Beta radiation is also a type of particle radiation. A beta particle is made up of 1 particle, which is an electron (or sometimes a positron). It has a negative charge if it’s an electron. When a nucleus emits a beta particle, a neutron turns into a proton and an electron is released. This causes the atomic number to go up by 1, but the mass number stays the same.

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