When a radioactive isotope spontaneously transmutes
then it may emit a helium nucleus
or an electron and an electron antineutrino.
Ernest Rutherford called the first type “alpha decay”;
and the second type “beta decay.”
Now we call the second type “beta minus decay.”
The Fajans and Soddy radioactive displacement law
tells you what element or isotope the decay results in.
Alpha decay creates an element
with two fewer protons and two fewer neutrons.
Beta decay creates an isotope
with one additional proton and one fewer neutron.
Other forms of decay
Other forms of radioactive decay.
“Beta positive decay” when the isotope
emits a positron and an electron neutrino.
This is also called “positron emission.”
Irène and Frédéric Joliot-Curie induced it
and called it “artificial radioactivity.”
“Electron capture” when the nucleus
captures an electron
and emits a neutrino.
“Proton emission” when the nucleus
emits a proton.
“Neutron emission” when the nucleus
emits a neutron.
Transmutation
Alchemists failed to transmute
base elements to gold,
leading many to think
it was impossible.
Beyond their means
and beyond their knowledge
but not beyond the possible
since it had happened in the stars.
Soddy and Fajans had begun to stabilize the idea that elements could be unstable.
When atoms lose subatomic particles, they do so according to certain rules.
Soddy and Fajans had begun to stabilize the idea that elements could be unstable. When atoms lose subatomic particles, they do so according to certain rules.
See also in The book of science:
Readings on wikipedia: