Undergrad Electron mass conversion during electron capture

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SUMMARY

In electron capture, a proton is transformed into a neutron, emitting a neutrino in the process. The mass of the electron is not converted into energy in the form of gamma radiation; instead, the majority of the energy is transferred to the emitted neutrino, with minimal energy contributing to nuclear recoil. Following electron capture, an electron from an outer shell fills the vacancy in the inner shell, resulting in energy release through photon emission or the ejection of another outer shell electron, leading to ionization of the atom.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electron capture mechanisms
  • Familiarity with neutrino properties and behavior
  • Knowledge of atomic structure and electron shells
  • Basic principles of energy conservation in nuclear reactions
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the role of neutrinos in nuclear reactions
  • Explore photon emission processes in atomic transitions
  • Study the implications of ionization in electron capture
  • Investigate the differences between electron capture and beta decay
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for nuclear physicists, students studying particle physics, and anyone interested in the mechanisms of electron capture and its effects on atomic structure.

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In electron capture, a proton turns into a neutron and a neutrino is emitted. Is (without counting the mass difference between neutron and proton and the mass of the neutrino) the mass of the electron converted into energy in the form of gamma radiation?
 
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The emission of a photon is possible but unlikely. Usually all the energy goes to the neutrino (a tiny bit goes into recoil of the nucleus).
 
That said, what happens after electron capture is that there is an opening in one of the inner shells. As an electron from an outer shell drops into that orbit, there is an energy release either by radiating a photon or by ejecting another outer shell electron from the atom (thus ionising the atom).
 

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