Beta decay occurs when a neutron essentially spontaneously turns into a proton and emits an electron (beta particle). This results in the atomic number of the original nucleus increasing by one, but the Atomic Mass remains the same.
Beta particle
Alpha decay emits an alpha particle, which consists of two protons and two neutrons. Beta decay emits either an electron (beta minus decay) or a positron (beta plus decay).
The brief answer is that the transformation is radioactive decay. Alpha and beta (+ and -) decay are decay modes for different isotopes of different elements. There are a number of examples of each type of decay.
Beta decay involves changing an up quark into a down quark (Beta+) or a down quark into an up quark (Beta-). This causes a neutron to change into a proton (Beta-) and emit a W- boson which decays into a beta particle (electron and electron antineutrino), or, with extra energy, it causes a proton to change into a neutron (Beta+) which emits a beta particle (positron and electron neutrino). Quarks are involved because protons and neutrons are comprised of quarks in sets of three, two up quarks and one down quark to form a proton, and two down quarks and one up quark to form a neutron.
It's not possible to change beta particles to alpha particles or vice versa; they're two very different things produced by different processes. Beta particles can be either electrons or they can be positrons, which are anti-electrons. Alpha particles are helium-4 nuclei, which are composed of a pair of protons and a pair of neutrons. Beta particles are produced in beta decay (one in each type), and alpha particles are produced in alpha decay. Both of these types of nuclear decay release particulate radiation. Links can be found below to check things out.
emit a beta particle
Beta particle
The atomic nucleus can emit beta particles (beta radiation). A neutron emits a beta particle when it decays into a proton, and anti-neutrino, and an electron (which becomes the beta particle).
Yes, it is possible; example - 224Ac.
electron or beta particle
Usually when isotopes undergo beta decay they emit an electron, but some isotopes emit a positron instead. This depends on the relative number of neutrons to protons in the isotope which type of beta particle is emitted. An excess of neutrons leads to the emission of an electron, while an excess of protons leads to the emission of a positron.
Argon-39 undergoes beta decay to become potassium-39, emitting an electron (beta particle) in the process. The atomic number increases by one due to the conversion of a neutron into a proton during beta decay.
Argon-39 decays to potassium-39 by emitting a beta particle, which is an electron. This decay process involves the conversion of a neutron into a proton within the argon-39 nucleus, resulting in the emission of the beta particle.
Alpha decay emits an alpha particle, which consists of two protons and two neutrons. Beta decay emits either an electron (beta minus decay) or a positron (beta plus decay).
The brief answer is that the transformation is radioactive decay. Alpha and beta (+ and -) decay are decay modes for different isotopes of different elements. There are a number of examples of each type of decay.
Beta decay involves changing an up quark into a down quark (Beta+) or a down quark into an up quark (Beta-). This causes a neutron to change into a proton (Beta-) and emit a W- boson which decays into a beta particle (electron and electron antineutrino), or, with extra energy, it causes a proton to change into a neutron (Beta+) which emits a beta particle (positron and electron neutrino). Quarks are involved because protons and neutrons are comprised of quarks in sets of three, two up quarks and one down quark to form a proton, and two down quarks and one up quark to form a neutron.
It emits a "beta particle," which is simply an electron. Cf-251's nucleus contains 153 neutrons. One of them spontaneously becomes a proton and an electron. The new proton bumps up its atomic number by 1, so it becomes Es-251. The overall mass is unchanged. The electron, or beta particle, is ejected from the nucleus. This is called beta decay.