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Q: Can all atoms undergo beta decay?
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What is the decay process that polonium undergoes?

All isotopes of polonium can undergo alpha decay, a small number of isotopes can also undergo beta decay, K capture decay, or gamma decay.


Do all atoms give out radiation?

No, not all atoms give off radiation. Only certain types of unstable atoms, known as radioactive atoms, undergo radioactive decay and emit radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma rays.


Are All atoms of actinides are radioactive?

The actinides all have a numerical ratio of protons to neutrons that makes their atomic nuclei unstable. This causes those nuclei to expel some type of particle (alpha or beta) and this causes a transmutation into another less massive (and usually more stable) element. This is radioactive decay.


What is the first decay product of radium?

Radium decays in any of (at least) four different ways, depending on isotope and, in some cases, on luck, as some isotopes can decay in different ways. The most important way radium can decay is by alpha emission. Nearly all naturally occurring radium decays this way, and so do the majority of synthetic isotopes. In this case, radium emits an alpha particle, which can be regarded as a helium nucleus, and the daughter atom is radon. The isotope of radon is depends on the isotope of radium involved; the mass number of the radon is always equal to the mass number of the radium minus four. Some heavier radium isotopes undergo negative beta decay, in which case the decay products are an actinium atom and a negative beta particle, which can be viewed as an electron. Some lighter radium isotopes undergo positive beta decay, in which case the decay products are a francium atom, a positive beta particle, which can be viewed as a positron, and an electron type antineutrino. A few radium isotopes also rarely undergo what is called cluster decay, and the most important naturally occurring isotope, radium-226 is among these. Cluster decay involves emission of a nucleus larger than an alpha particle, and in the case of radium all known cluster decays emit carbon-14 nuclei. In this case, the daughter atom is lead, with a mass number that is 14 lower than the mass number of the parent. So radium-226 can emit a carbon-14 nucleus, leaving a lead-212 atom.


What has an unstable nucleus?

Atoms with an unstable nucleus are called radioactive isotopes. These isotopes emit radiation in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves as they undergo nuclear decay to become more stable. Examples include uranium-235, carbon-14, and radium-226.

Related questions

Do all atoms have beta decay?

No. Many atoms do not decay at all. Many that do undergo alpha decay. A few atoms emit neutron radiation.


What is the decay process that polonium undergoes?

All isotopes of polonium can undergo alpha decay, a small number of isotopes can also undergo beta decay, K capture decay, or gamma decay.


Do all atoms give out radiation?

No, not all atoms give off radiation. Only certain types of unstable atoms, known as radioactive atoms, undergo radioactive decay and emit radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma rays.


Are All atoms of actinides are radioactive?

The actinides all have a numerical ratio of protons to neutrons that makes their atomic nuclei unstable. This causes those nuclei to expel some type of particle (alpha or beta) and this causes a transmutation into another less massive (and usually more stable) element. This is radioactive decay.


Will unstable nuclei all undergo radioactive decay in order to gain stability?

Not necessarily. Some unstable nuclei can gain stability through processes such as alpha or beta decay, while others can undergo spontaneous fission. Additionally, some unstable nuclei may be in a metastable state and decay through isomeric transition.


Does all elements undergo nuclear decay?

No.


Does silicon undergo radioactive decay?

The 3 isotopes that make up all naturally occurring silicon (28, 29, 30) on earth are all stable and thus do not undergo radioactive decay. But other silicon isotopes that are lighter or heavier can be produced by particle accelerators, nuclear reactors, nuclear explosions, or rarely cosmic rays do undergo radioactive decay via either -Beta, +Beta, or Gamma emission depending on isotope.Silicon does exist in space near very active stars, supernovas, etc. in the form of isotopes that undergo radioactive decay.The longest lived silicon isotope (32) that will undergo radioactive decay, has a halflife of roughly 700 years and thus will effectively completely decay to stable sulfur-32 in less than 4000 years. All other silicon isotopes that undergo radioactive decay have halflives so short that they finish decaying to stable isotopes of other elements in much less than a single day.


Why is alpha decay generally found occurring in atoms with large nuclei while beta decay is usually associated with much lighter nuclei?

I believe it has to do with fusion and fission, as all radioactive isotopes want to be as stable as possible.


Does jam rot?

As in all things, it will undergo decomposition and decay


Does lead go through beta alpha or gamma decay?

It depends on which isotope you are asking about. Some decay through alpha, some decay through beta, some decay through other processes. All can leave the nucleus in an excited state, resulting in gamma emission.


What is the energy of beta particle?

The end point energy of a beta decay is the kinetic energy of all particles emitted through B-decay. This is often ignoring the energy of the recoiling daughter nucleus.


What is the endpoint energy of beta particle?

The endpoint energy of a beta particle is the maximum kinetic energy it can have after being emitted in a beta decay process. This energy depends on the specific isotope undergoing decay, with different isotopes having different endpoint energies.