Radioactive decay: stability

The emission of an alpha or beta particle from an unstable nucleus produces an atom of a different element, which may itself be unstable. After a series of changes a stable end-element is formed.

A neutrino is also emitted in + decay. Antineutrinos and positrons are the antiparticles of neutrinos and electrons. If a particle and its antiparticle collide they annihilate each other, producing energy in the form of gamma rays.

Gamma emission
After emitting an alpha or beta (+ or -) particles, some nuclei are left in an excited state. Rearrangement of the protons and neutrons occurs and a burst of gamma rays is released.

Alpha decay
When an atom decays by alpha emission, its nucleon number decreases by 4 and its proton number by 2. The values of A and Z must balance on both sides of the equation since nucleons and charges are conserved.

Nuclear stability
For the stable nuclides: i) N = Z for the lightest nuclides ii) N > Z for the heaviest nuclides iii)Most nuclides have even N and Z implying that the alpha particle combination of two neutrons and two protons is likely to be particularly stable. For unstable nuclides: i) Disintegration tends to produce new nuclides nearer the stability line and continues until a stable nuclide is formed. ii) A nuclide above the stability line decays by - emission so that the N/Z ratio decreases. iii)A nuclide below the stability line decays by + emission so that the N/Z ratio increases.

Beta decay
In -decay a neutron changes to a proton and an electron. The proton remains in the nucleus and the electron is emitted as a -. The new nucleus has the same nucleon number, but its proton number increases by one since it has one more proton.

A particle called an antineutrino (v), with no charge and negligible mass, is also emitted in - decay. Positrons subatomic particles with the same mass as an electron but with positive charge are emitted in some decay processes as +particles. Their tracks can be seen in bubble chamber photographs. In + decay a proton in a nucleus is converted to a neutron and a positron. 2964Cu 2864Ni + +10e

iv)Nuclei with more than 82 protons usually emit an alpha particle when they decay.