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Frank Li
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After a beta+ decay, where does the positron and neutrino go? Do they stay in the nucleus or?
Depending on the surroundings, the positron will likely end up annihilating with an electron somewhere nearby. The neutrino most likely (and I mean that it is orders and orders of magnitude likelier than anything else) goes away never to be heard of by anyone or anything again. They have a tendency of interacting very very seldom.Frank Li said:After a beta+ decay, where does the positron and neutrino go? Do they stay in the nucleus or?
Beta+ decay is a type of radioactive decay where a proton in the nucleus of an atom transforms into a neutron, releasing a positron and a neutrino in the process.
In Beta+ decay, a proton in the nucleus of an atom spontaneously transforms into a neutron, releasing a positron and a neutrino. This process is governed by the weak nuclear force.
The positron released in Beta+ decay travels through the surrounding material until it encounters an electron. The positron and electron then annihilate each other, releasing energy in the form of gamma rays.
The neutrino released in Beta+ decay typically travels through the surrounding material without interacting with any particles. It has very low mass and no charge, so it can easily pass through matter without being affected.
Beta+ decay is an important process in nuclear physics as it helps to stabilize atoms that have too many protons in their nucleus. This process is also used in medical imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) scans.