beta decay
Neutron-to-proton conversion
Beta decay is the radioactive process in which an atomic nucleus emits a beta particle—an electron or its antimatter counterpart, a positron.
This transforms the nucleus into a different element: a neutron becomes a proton (or vice versa), shifting the atom one place along the periodic table.
Carbon-14 undergoes beta decay to become nitrogen-14.
Uncharged nuclear particle
- protonPositive nuclear particle
- electronNegative subatomic particle
- positronElectron's antimatter counterpart
- neutrinoUncharged, near-massless particle
antineutrino · weak force · W boson · half-life · transition · energy release · selection rules
Negative subatomic particle
- positronElectron's antimatter counterpart
- neutrinoUncharged, near-massless particle
- antineutrinoAntimatter counterpart of neutrino
- leptonFundamental particle without strong interactions
W boson · quark · nucleon · subatomic · spin · conservation laws · momentum · kinetic energy
Period for fifty-percent reduction
- isotopeElemental variant by mass
- activityEngagement in doing
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
ionizing · scintillation · dosimeter · radionuclide · specific activity · disintegration · curie · carbon-14
Healthcare using radioactive materials
- PET scanRadiotracer-based internal imaging
- radiotherapyMedical radiation for cancer
- carbon datingIsotope-based age measurement
- radiometric datingAge measurement via atomic decay
smoke detector · radiolabeling · diagnostic imaging · environmental monitoring · geochronology
neutron
Uncharged nuclear particle
- protonPositive nuclear particle
- electronNegative subatomic particle
- positronElectron's antimatter counterpart
neutrino · antineutrino · weak force · W boson · half-life · transition · energy release · selection rules
electron
Negative subatomic particle
- positronElectron's antimatter counterpart
- neutrinoUncharged, near-massless particle
- antineutrinoAntimatter counterpart of neutrino
lepton · W boson · quark · nucleon · subatomic · spin · conservation laws · momentum · kinetic energy · fermion
half-life
Period for fifty-percent reduction
- isotopeElemental variant by mass
- activityEngagement in doing
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
gamma rays · ionizing · scintillation · dosimeter · radionuclide · specific activity · disintegration · curie · carbon-14 · tritium
nuclear medicine
Healthcare using radioactive materials
- PET scanRadiotracer-based internal imaging
- radiotherapyMedical radiation for cancer
- carbon datingIsotope-based age measurement
radiometric dating · smoke detector · radiolabeling · diagnostic imaging · environmental monitoring · geochronology
- decayrot, wilt, crumble, decomposition, fade
- nuclear sciencenuclear fission, nuclear physics, nuclear fusion, radiation, nuclear fuel
- nuclear physicsnuclear energy, fission, nuclear fission, neutron, proton
- particle physicsquark, quarks, lepton, leptons, boson
- radioactivityradioactive isotopes, radioisotopes, radionuclides, half-life, gamma radiation
- radiation labsradiation safety, Geiger counter, half-life, alpha particles, gamma rays
decay, decayed, decaying, beta particle, decays, beta, radioactive decay