Chapter Two Pt. 3

• three major types of radiation emitted by particles are:
• Beta rays (electrons)= negative
• Gamma Rays (pure energy= no mass)
• Alpha rays= positive particle (release Helium)

beta particle

• alpha and beta 
• mass

a reaction that changes an atomic nucleus

• a beta particle is an electron
• - neutron in nucleus spontaneously decays into a proton and electron; particles attracted to positive electrode and repelled by negative electrode

• An alpha particle is a helium-4 nucleus (2 protons and 2 neutrons)
• particlues repelled by positively charged electrode and attracted to negatively charged electrode
• - results in losee of 2 protons and 2 neutrons, reducing mass number of the nucleus by 4 and atomic # by 2

• a gamma particle is a high-energy photon
• - unaffected by electric/ magnetic fields 
• - no mass
• - electromagnetic radiation of very high energy

• a positron has the same mass as an electron but the opposite charge
• - occurs when proton in nucleus changes into neutron plus ejected positron
• - decrease in atomic # of product nucleus but no change in mass #

process in which the nucleus captures an inner-shell electron, thereby converting a proton to a neutron

• fusion
• fission

• combining
• - two smaller nuclei--> one big nuclei

• splitting
• big atom--> 2 smaller

nuclear waste

• Sun
• - takes hydrogen atoms and uses to pressure to produce He--> energy
• possible on earth
• ex: H bond