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Beta decay is a type of nuclear decay that occurs when an unstable nucleus
emits an electron (or a positron) and a neutrino (or an antineutrino). This
process is governed by the weak force, which is one of the four fundamental
forces of nature.
There are two types of beta decay: beta-minus (β-) decay and beta-plus (β+)
decay. In beta-minus decay, a neutron in the nucleus is converted into a proton,
and an electron and an antineutrino are emitted. The atomic number of the
nucleus increases by one, while the mass number remains the same. An example of
beta-minus decay is the decay of carbon-14 (14C) to nitrogen-14 (14N):
14C → 14N + β- + ν̅e
In beta-plus decay, a proton in the nucleus is converted into a neutron, and
a positron and a neutrino are emitted. The atomic number of the nucleus
decreases by one, while the mass number remains the same. An example of
beta-plus decay is the decay of fluorine-18 (18F) to oxygen-18 (18O):
18F → 18O + β+ + ve
Beta decay plays an important role in the universe, as it is responsible for
the synthesis of elements in stars. For example, in the proton-proton chain that
powers the sun, two protons combine to form a deuterium nucleus (a proton and a
neutron), which then undergoes beta-plus decay to form a helium-3 nucleus (two
protons and a neutron), a positron, and a neutrino:
p + p → D + e+ + νe D → 3He + β+ + ν̅e
Beta decay is also used in a variety of applications, including nuclear power
generation, medical imaging, and radiation therapy. In nuclear power plants,
beta decay is used to produce heat by converting the energy released during the
decay of radioactive isotopes into electrical energy. In medical imaging,
beta-emitting isotopes are used as tracers to track the movement of molecules in
the body. In radiation therapy, beta-emitting isotopes are used to destroy
cancerous cells by depositing energy directly into the cells.
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