Bétabomlásnál

Bétabomlásnál, often translated as beta decay, is a type of radioactive decay in which a beta particle (an electron or a positron) is emitted from an atomic nucleus. This process transforms one type of subatomic particle into another, altering the atomic number of the parent nucleus while leaving the mass number unchanged. There are two primary forms of beta decay: beta-minus (β-) decay and beta-plus (β+) decay.

In beta-minus decay, a neutron within the nucleus converts into a proton, an electron, and an electron antineutrino. The emitted electron is the beta particle. This process increases the atomic number of the nucleus by one, changing the element into a different one. For example, carbon-14 decays into nitrogen-14 via beta-minus decay.

Beta-plus decay, also known as positron emission, occurs when a proton within the nucleus converts into a neutron, a positron (the antiparticle of the electron), and an electron neutrino. The emitted positron is the beta particle. This process decreases the atomic number of the nucleus by one, again transforming the element. For instance, fluorine-18 decays into oxygen-18 via beta-plus decay.

Both beta-minus and beta-plus decays are mediated by the weak nuclear force. They are fundamental processes in nuclear physics and play a significant role in nuclear reactions, astrophysics, and various applications like medical imaging and carbon dating.