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The open-book paper on nuclear fission and fusion reactions.
Member rating: No Rating | Words: 1235 | Submitted: Wed Apr 30 2008
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The open-book paper on nuclear fission and fusion reactions. Alpha decay is when the nucleus emits an alpha particle. An alpha particle is basically a helium nucleus; it has two protons and two neutrons. A helium nucleus is very stable. Beta decay is when a beta particle is often an electron, but can also be positron, a positively charged particle that is the anti-matter equivalent of the electron. If an electron is involved, the number of neutrons in the nucleus decreases by one and the number of protons increases by one. The beta particles are much more incisive than alpha particles. Lise Meitner done some research into radioactivity, she focused her work on beta decay from radioactive elements. The chemists had longed believed that elements were unchangeable and even though it was observed through alpha and beta decay, the atoms could change from one element into another one. During radioactive decay, atoms of...
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