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Secondly, he found the charge-to-mass ratio of alpha particles to be half that of the hydrogen ion. Rutherford proposed three explanations: 1) an alpha particle is a hydrogen molecule (H 2) with a charge of 1 e; 2) an alpha particle is an atom of helium with a charge of 2 e; 3) an alpha particle is half a helium atom with a charge of 1 e.
Alpha radiation has a high linear energy transfer (LET) coefficient, which is about one ionization of a molecule/atom for every angstrom of travel by the alpha particle. The RBE has been set at the value of 20 for alpha radiation by various government regulations.
The alpha particle is an especially strongly bound nucleus, helping it win the competition more often. [57]: 872 However some nuclei break up or fission into larger particles and artificial nuclei decay with the emission of single protons, double protons, and other combinations. [55] Beta decay transforms a neutron into proton or vice versa.
Alpha radiation is dangerous when alpha-emitting radioisotopes are inhaled or ingested (breathed or swallowed). This brings the radioisotope close enough to sensitive live tissue for the alpha radiation to damage cells. Per unit of energy, alpha particles are at least 20 times more effective at cell-damage than gamma rays and X-rays.
The following are among the principal radioactive materials known to emit alpha particles. 209 Bi , 211 Bi , 212 Bi , 213 Bi 210 Po , 211 Po , 212 Po , 214 Po , 215 Po , 216 Po , 218 Po
Alpha spectrometry (also known as alpha(-particle) spectroscopy) is the quantitative study of the energy of alpha particles emitted by a radioactive nuclide that is an alpha emitter. As emitted alpha particles are mono-energetic (i.e. not emitted with a spectrum of energies, such as beta decay ) with energies often distinct to the decay they ...
Particle radiation can be emitted by an unstable atomic nucleus (via radioactive decay), or it can be produced from some other kind of nuclear reaction. Many types of particles may be emitted: protons and other hydrogen nuclei stripped of their electrons; positively charged alpha particles (α), equivalent to a helium-4 nucleus
The fuel particles, the size about 10 micrometers, are a strong source of beta and gamma radiation and a weaker source of alpha radiation. The disparity between alpha and beta radiation (alpha activity is typically 100–1000 times weaker than beta, so the particle loses much more negatively charged particles than positively charged ones) leads ...