Why does emitting an alpha particle and ending up with 2 less protons and neutrons make a nucleus more stable?
Why does converting a neutron into a proton (or vice versa in Beta plus decay) make a nucleus more stable?
And finally why does gamma emission make a nucleus more stable?
Why does converting a neutron into a proton (or vice versa in Beta plus decay) make a nucleus more stable?
And finally why does gamma emission make a nucleus more stable?
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The larger the atom, the further particles are away from each other.
This means that the forces holding the atom together become weaker and a smaller atom is more stable.
By releasing an alpha particle ( 2 protons, 2 neutrons) the atom becomes physically smaller and hence more strongly bound and the potential energy is more negative. So energy is released.
For all stable atoms we discover that the ratio of neutrons to protons is around 1:1 but not exactly.
At higher atomic numbers the stable number of neutrons is somewhat higher than 1:1
Hence U 238 has 92 protons and 146 neutrons.
If an atom releases 2 protons and 2 neutrons then the ratio of neutrons to protons goes UP.
This means that the atom has too many neutrons compared to protons.
By converting one to a proton and releasing an electron we effectively gain one proton and lose one neutron returning the balance to one closer to the line of stability.
This means that the forces holding the atom together become weaker and a smaller atom is more stable.
By releasing an alpha particle ( 2 protons, 2 neutrons) the atom becomes physically smaller and hence more strongly bound and the potential energy is more negative. So energy is released.
For all stable atoms we discover that the ratio of neutrons to protons is around 1:1 but not exactly.
At higher atomic numbers the stable number of neutrons is somewhat higher than 1:1
Hence U 238 has 92 protons and 146 neutrons.
If an atom releases 2 protons and 2 neutrons then the ratio of neutrons to protons goes UP.
This means that the atom has too many neutrons compared to protons.
By converting one to a proton and releasing an electron we effectively gain one proton and lose one neutron returning the balance to one closer to the line of stability.