2006-12-08 11:39:53 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Hawk_Eye19, Would you Expect the Energy of this Gamma Ray to Be Specific for Po-210?
2006-12-08 11:58:13 · update #1
The positive charge on an alpha particle is stationary one moment. The next moment it's moving at high speed. Whenever you accelerate electric charge like this, you get short-wave radiation. But the charge on an alpha particle is only twice that on an electron and it's nearly 8000 times as massive, and moving much slower than a beta particle (fast electron). So an alpha emitter which doesn't also emit beta particles is only a weak gamma emitter.
2006-12-08 12:17:10 · answer #1 · answered by zee_prime 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, Po-210 does emit a gamma ray, about 1 in 100,000 times.
2006-12-08 19:52:49 · answer #2 · answered by Hawk_Eye19 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it decayed by alpha decay, you would get the following nuclear decay:
Po-210 -> alpha + Pb - 206
So lead-206 would be your decay product.
2006-12-08 19:51:02 · answer #3 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋