2

Why is the energy of Gamma and Alpha radiation discrete while the energy of Beta radiation is not? Why is the energy from gamma radiation discrete, and how come the energy from Beta decay is not discrete?

AP2017
  • 23

1 Answers1

1

All are nuclear decays. Alpha and gamma are two body decays, transitions in energy levels . Beta decay is the decay of a neutron given the possibility from the energy balances.

The neutron is a three body decay, and thus the electron will have a spectrum. That was the way the neutrino was discovered, balancing the energy and momentum to a two body , neutron-remaining nucleus.

anna v
  • 236,935