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Radioactive decay happens to the unstable atom nuclei in its efforts striving to reach stability. The nucleus of any element atom should have specific neutron/proton ratio to be a stable nucleus. Also, the absolute number of protons should not exceed certain limit.

For a nucleus with neutron/proton is higher than the stability ratio, two types of radioactive decay may occur to decrease the ratio in the nucleus in order to reach stability:

  • radioactive beta decay: in which a neutron transforms into proton plus electron where the proton remains in the nucleus and the electron is emitted from the nucleus as beta radiation
  • radioactive neutron decay: in which a neutron is emitted from the nucleus as neutron radiation (this transformation is relatively rare. Example of this transformation is the unstable Krypton-87)

For a nucleus with neutron/proton is lower than the stability ratio, two types of radioactive decay may occur to increase the ratio in the nucleus in order to reach stability:

  • radioactive proton decay: in which a proton in the nucleus transforms into neutron plus positron where the neutron remains in the nucleus and the positron is emitted from the nucleus as positive beta radiation
  • proton attraction of one electron from the nearest orbit to the nucleus to form neutron that remains in the nucleus.

For an unstable nucleus with number of protons exceeding the stability limit, the nucleus may reach stability with one or more of the above four nuclear transformations or by:

  • fission of the nucleus into two or more smaller nuclei with emission of one or more neutrons (as the spontaneous fission of one of the plutonium isotopes).
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