Are beta particles are electrons detached from the nucleus?

Answer 1

During nuclear decay when a beta- particle (a high energy electron coming from the decay event) leaves the nucleus, the action is the result of the transformation of a neutron into a proton and an electron (the beta- particle). Got links if you want them. They are to related articles posted by our friends at Wikipedia, where knowledge is free. Note: there is a bit more to beta decay than was mentioned here, but enough was presented to answer the question. Certainly it is hoped that the links will extend knowledge about as far as the average reader may wish to go.

Answer 2

No. Beta particles are electrons or positrons that are emitted from the nucleus. They do not come from the electron cloud.

In beta- decay, a down quark is changed to an up quark, changing a neutron into a proton by the weak atomic force. This causes the emission of a W- boson, which then subsequently decays into an electron and an electron antineutrino.

In beta+ decay, an up quark is changed to a down quark, changing a proton into a neutron by the introduction of energy. This causes the emission of a positron and an electron neutrino. Sometimes it is accompanied by K Capture, where an inner shell electron is absorbed into the nucleus in order to meet the energy demand.

Answer 3

Radioactive decay is a stochastic process on a fundamental level.

The only way I can detail how beta decay produces an electron is by explaining the process fully.

Some atoms are very unstable. To counter this, they try to shake off particles, switch them around, transform them and essentially do whatever they can to become a stable atom.

They do this through radioactive decay.

When beta decay occurs, a beta particle is emitted from the nucleus. This can either be an electron (to which the process is called electron emission) or its antimatter counterpart, a positron (positron emission). This depends on what happens in the nucleus.

In its full glory, beta decay electron emission is when a force called the weak force changes a neutron into a proton, and an electron (and a particle that doesn't interact with normal matter called a neutrino, of which this type would be an electron antineutrino) would be emitted.

This is written as;

n → p + e- + -νe

For reference, on a fundamental level, this is due to a down quark changing into an up quark by a W- boson, which changed the neutron into a proton. The W- boson then degrades into an electron and an electron antineutrino.

Answer 4

The beta particle did not "get into" the nucleus. Well, sort of. It comes out instead, but look closely at K Capture below.

In beta- decay, a quark is changed from a down quark into an up quark by the interaction of the weak atomic force. This changes a neutron (two down quarks and one up quark) into a proton (one down quark and two up quarks) and it emits a W- boson. The W- boson subsequently decays into an electron and an electron antineutrino. (This electron is the "classic" beta particle.)

In beta+ decay, a quark is changed from an up quark into a down quark by the addition of energy. This changes a proton (one down quark and two up quarks) into a neutron (two down quarks and one up quark) and is accompanied by the emission of a positron and an electron neutrino. This requires energy, due to the increase in mass between the proton and the neutron, and is sometimes initiated by K Capture.

In K Capture, which can also occur without beta+ decay, an inner shell (K) electron is absorbed into one of the protons, causing the quark change described above. This is then followed by various x-ray events as the electron cloud settles down into its new ground state.

When K Capture occurs in isolation, there is only a neutrino emitted, followed by the x-ray events. This is the case when the energy difference between parent and daughter isotopes is less than 1.022 MEv, the threshold required to create a positron.

Answer 5

Yes they do.