- #1
rwooduk
- 762
- 59
For β- we have:
##M(A,Z)>M(A,Z+1) + m_{e} - m_{e}##
An electron is removed from the atom and therefore we need to take that away from the M(A,Z+1) term
But for β+ we have been given:
##M(A,Z)>M(A,Z+1) + m_{e} + m_{e}##
What is this saying? A positron is emitted, therefore shouldn't we minus the mass of the positron from the atomic mass? which would give the same expression as for β-? I'm confused as to why it is plus, it's probably something really simple but I can't figure it for some reason.
Thanks for any help/ideas
edit also a quick side question, is β+ decay the same as electron capture? As they give the same daughter nucleus.
##M(A,Z)>M(A,Z+1) + m_{e} - m_{e}##
An electron is removed from the atom and therefore we need to take that away from the M(A,Z+1) term
But for β+ we have been given:
##M(A,Z)>M(A,Z+1) + m_{e} + m_{e}##
What is this saying? A positron is emitted, therefore shouldn't we minus the mass of the positron from the atomic mass? which would give the same expression as for β-? I'm confused as to why it is plus, it's probably something really simple but I can't figure it for some reason.
Thanks for any help/ideas
edit also a quick side question, is β+ decay the same as electron capture? As they give the same daughter nucleus.
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