Why we called the Helium particle as alpha particle?

In summary, the naming convention for alpha, beta and gamma particles is simply based on the first three letters of the Greek alphabet. The particles in alpha radiation are helium nuclei, in beta radiation they are electrons, and in gamma radiation they are highly energetic photons. While alpha and beta decay result in a change in atomic number, gamma decay only results in a decrease in energy. This is because gamma radiation occurs when a nucleus has excess energy, which is eventually released as gamma particles.
  • #1
123kid
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why we the alpha particle is taken as helium and beta as electron ?
and what about gamma particle ? what is that?
My 2nd question is that during alpha decay and beta decay there is decrease of 2 units in atomic number and one unit increase respectively ?
what happen in gamma decay ?
 
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  • #2
Gamma radiation is electromagnetic radiation.
It's the most energetic kind of EM, much more energetic than X rays, visible light, radio, and other forms of electromagnetism.
The naming alpha/beta/gamma for the 3 basic kinds of radioactivity are simply the first 3 letter of the Greek alphabet, like a, b, c.
There is no particular reason why 'a' is helium nucleii, 'b' is electrons and 'c' is EM, but I'm guessing it may be to do with the ordering of the time of their discovery.
 
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  • #3
123kid said:
why we the alpha particle is taken as helium and beta as electron
It's an accident of history. We named the first kind of radiation discovered "alpha", the second "beta", and the third "gamma" after the first three letters in the Greek alphabet. Only later did we figure out the that the particles in alpha radiation were helium nuclei, the particles in beta radiation were electrons, and the particles in gamma radiation were...
and what about gamma particle ? what is that?
Highly energetic photons.

My 2nd question is that during alpha decay and beta decay there is decrease of 2 units in atomic number and one unit increase respectively ?
what happen in gamma decay ?
What do you think and why? Consider the electric charge of the various particles involved.
 
  • #4
so is there photons also present in these atoms ? which emit during radioactivity in the form of gamma rays ?
 
  • #5
Nugatory said:
What do you think and why? Consider the electric charge of the various particles involved.
sorry. i didn't get your question. I think what will happen with gamma decay ? as beta and alpha decay can change the atomic numbers and as a result a new element is formed.
 
  • #6
123kid said:
sorry. i didn't get your question. I think what will happen with gamma decay ? as beta and alpha decay can change the atomic numbers and as a result a new element is formed.

Yes, emission of an alpha or beta particle changes the atomic number. You asked whether emitting a gamma particle would also change the atomic number and I told you try figuring it out for yourself first, and gave you a big hint that you should be thinking about the electrical charges of the various particles involved... and I'll even give you another big hint: What is the atomic number of a nucleus and how is it related to electrical charges?

(The Physics Forums rules discourage giving people answers until they've made an effort to figure things out for themselves first.)
 
  • #7
Atomic number is the number of protons. A positive charge. Gamma rays have no charge. So no effect on atomic number ? Am i right ? is there any other effect of this emission of photons ?
 
  • #8
When I was studying this for my GCSE physics course we only looked at the alpha and beta decay equations, however, my physics teacher did give me some room to wiggle here, so I studied Beta decay quite thoroughly, and here we go.

Beta decay

To find the answer to what you seek, you must answer me these questions three:
  1. What is atomic mass vs atomic number? Define the two terms and find the difference.
  2. What is the actual difference between protons and neutrons? Why is this? (You may find yourself looking into quarks here.)
  3. Beta decay has an increase in atomic number, and an emission of an electron, but no increase in simple atomic mass. How can you tie what you learned in the previous question to these facts?
Useful tips!
  • Electrons are not mass-less.
  • Protons and neutrons do not have the same mass.
  • When I said there was no change in atomic mass, I lied, there is a slight decrease.
  • Electrons are surprisingly insignificant to understanding what beta decay is, unless you are actually talking about the emission.

Hopefully, I've helped you discover the answer on your own here.
 
  • #9
123kid said:
Atomic number is the number of protons. A positive charge. Gamma rays have no charge. So no effect on atomic number ? Am i right ?
Yes you are.

is there any other effect of this emission of photons ?
Only a reduction in the one thing that the gamma particle does carry away, namely energy. Gamma radiation happens when a nucleus is "excited", meaning that it has an excess of energy. Usually this happens because some previous decay released more energy than was carried away by the alpha or beta particles from that earlier decay - eventually the excess energy escapes as gamma particles.
 
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Likes 123kid
  • #10
Thank you... Understood
 

1. Why is the Helium particle called an alpha particle?

The Helium particle is called an alpha particle because it was the first type of radiation discovered in the early 20th century. It was named "alpha" after the first letter in the Greek alphabet, as it was the first type of radiation discovered.

2. How was the Helium particle first discovered?

The Helium particle was first discovered in 1899 by Ernest Rutherford during his experiments on radioactive decay. He observed that a certain type of radiation emitted by uranium could be blocked by a thin sheet of paper, and he named this radiation "alpha particles."

3. What is the composition of an alpha particle?

An alpha particle is composed of two protons and two neutrons, making it identical to the nucleus of a helium atom. It has a positive charge and is relatively large compared to other types of radiation, making it less penetrating.

4. How are alpha particles produced?

Alpha particles can be produced through various nuclear reactions, such as the decay of radioactive elements like uranium and radon. They can also be created in particle accelerators or during nuclear fission reactions.

5. What are the properties of alpha particles?

Alpha particles have a relatively low energy compared to other types of radiation, but they are highly ionizing, meaning they can strip electrons from atoms they interact with. They have a short range in air and can be easily stopped by a sheet of paper or even a few centimeters of air.

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