Radiation and radioactivity?

Question

What is the energy conversion that occurs when alpha, beta particles and gamma rays are emitted?
Is it true that alpha and beta particles possess kinetic energy while the gamma rays don't?
It would be very helpful if you could help me with this.

Answer 1

Alpha decay occurs when a nucleus emits a helium nucleus (2 protons bound to 2 neutrons). The alpha particle carries off some kinetic energy. The energy comes from teh conversion of the binding energy, called the strong force, into kinetic energy.

Beta decay occurs when a neutron decays into a proton, an electron, and a neutrino. The neutrino and teh electron carry off some kinetic energy. The energy comes fromt heconversion of some fo the neutron mass into kinetic energy.

Gamma decay occurs when a nucleus goe from an excited state to a lower energy state. It does this by emitting an energetic photon called a gamma ray. The gamma ray carries off an energy inversely proportional to its wavelength. The shorter the wavelelngth, the more energetic the gamma ray. This is electromagnetic energy not kinetic.