When is alpha radiation emitted?

Answer 1

During Alpha decay an atom spits out a bound group of two protons and

two neutrons from its nucleus. That little package is called an "Alpha particle",

and it also happens to be a nucleus of Helium.

Answer 2

We see an alpha particle appear in a type of nuclear decay called alpha decay. Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay where an unstable nucleus ejects an alpha particle from its nucleus. Links to related questions can be found below to check facts and learn more.

Answer 3

good question:

the answer is you can never ever know when a nuclei will decay. Its a fundamental principal of quantum mechanics.

You can get lots of nuclei and look at the average, then predict a probability that one nuclei will have decayed by a certain time, but you can never know, and they are all identical (if they are the same type), so there is no known reason why one will decay and another doesn't.

Answer 4

There are a number of different isotopes that emit alpha radiation as a function of their radioactive decay processes. Just one is radium-226, which is in the uranium decay chain, and is a precursor to radon, which can be a public health concern.

Answer 5

It transmutes into another atom, one with two less protons and two less neutrons. The atomic number goes down by two, and the Atomic Mass number goes down by four. It also undergoes nucleus and electron cloud restabilization, which can result in gamma and x-ray emission of photons.

Answer 6

Alpha radiation is emitted when an unstable nucleus undergoes radioactive decay by emitting an alpha particle, which consists of two protons and two neutrons. This type of radiation occurs in heavy and unstable elements, such as uranium and radium.

Answer 7

Alpha decay occurs most often in massive nuclei that have too large a proton to neutron ratio. An example of an alpha particle would be 4He.