A decay that involves a high-speed electron is a(n) ____________________ decay
a) α particle
b) β particle
c) γ ray
d) all of the above
d) all of the above
are you sure?
I apologize for the confusion. The correct answer is b) β particle. A decay that involves a high-speed electron is referred to as β decay. α particles are helium nuclei and γ rays are high-energy photons, which are not directly associated with the emission of high-speed electrons.
The correct answer is b) β particle.
To understand why, we need to know about the different types of radioactive decays.
Radioactive decay is the spontaneous breakdown of an atomic nucleus, resulting in the emission of particles and/or radiation. There are three common types of radioactive decay: alpha (α) decay, beta (β) decay, and gamma (γ) decay.
In alpha decay, an alpha particle is emitted from the atomic nucleus. An alpha particle is composed of two protons and two neutrons, which is essentially the nucleus of a helium atom. This type of decay does not involve high-speed electrons.
In gamma decay, a gamma ray is emitted. A gamma ray is a high-energy electromagnetic radiation but does not involve the emission of particles.
In beta decay, a high-speed electron or positron is emitted from the atomic nucleus. This type of decay involves a high-speed electron, which is also known as a beta particle. The emission of the beta particle can result from the transformation of a neutron into a proton (emission of an electron) or the transformation of a proton into a neutron (emission of a positron). The emitted beta particle can have a significant kinetic energy.
Therefore, a decay that involves a high-speed electron is a beta decay, making option b) β particle the correct answer.