Ternary fission is also used to produce alpha particles but it is a very rare nuclear reaction and its resultant products are three instead of two. During the nuclear transmutation of these elements by alpha decay, alpha particles are produced. However, the atomic number of heavier atoms lose by two due to ejecting the two protons.Įxamples are the alpha decay of uranium into thorium and radium into radon. This is because four nucleons (two protons and two neutrons) remove as an alpha particles from the heavier atom. During the process, heavier atoms lose four nucleons and their atomic mass number decreases by four. These are the few sources that produce alpha particles:Īlpha decay is a process to generate alpha particles through the decay of heavier atoms. Properties of gamma particles Sources of Alpha (α) rays.They have a smaller penetrating power and can be stopped by a sheet of paper or thin foil of aluminum. Due to large energy, they cause ionization when passed through a gas.Īlpha particle cause luminescence when they strike the zinc sulfide and have intense photographic activity. They have a large mass and move with high speed and have kinetic energy. Royds (1909) introduced that an alpha particle has two units of positive charge and has a mass four times greater than a hydrogen atom.Īlpha particles move with a velocity ranging from 1.4 to 2.0 x 10 7 ms -1. The deflection of alpha rays in an electric or magnetic field shows that they are positively charged particles. These are the following properties of alpha rays: Rutherford named alpha particles on the basis of penetration and deflection properties. In 1899, Ernest Rutherford and Paul Villard worked on radiation and separated them into three types alpha rays, beta rays, and gamma rays. However, Due to similarities with the helium nucleus, they are sometimes recognized by the symbol He 2+. Alpha particles are represented by the “α” symbol.
They are produced as a result of alpha decay and have two protons and two neutrons bound together in a nucleus.
Alpha particle is alternatively known as alpha rays and alpha radiations.
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