|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
beta particle
beta particle one of the three types of radiation resulting from natural radioactivity . Beta radiation (or beta rays) was identified and named by E. Rutherford, who found that it consists of high-speed electrons . Unlike alpha and gamma particles, whose energy can be explained as the difference of the energies of the radioactive nucleus before and after emission, beta particles emerge with a variable energy. This apparent violation of the law of conservation of energy (see conservation laws ) led to the hypothesis that a second undetected particle, the neutrino , is emitted along with the electron and shares the total available energy. In some forms of induced, or artificial, radioactivity, the electron's antiparticle , the positron, is emitted from the excited nucleus; the positron in this case is also called a beta particle and denoted by β + (the ordinary beta particle is β - ). |
|
|
Cite this article
"beta particle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "beta particle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-betapart.html "beta particle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-betapart.html |
|
beta particle
beta particle Energetic electron emitted spontaneously by certain radioactive isotopes. Beta decay results from the breakdown of a neutron to a proton, electron and antineutrino. See also radioactivity
|
|
|
Cite this article
"beta particle." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "beta particle." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-betaparticle.html "beta particle." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-betaparticle.html |
|
beta particle
be·ta par·ti·cle (also beta ray) • n. Physics a fast-moving electron emitted in radioactive decay. |
|
|
Cite this article
"beta particle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "beta particle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-betaparticle.html "beta particle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-betaparticle.html |
|
beta particle
beta particle(β-particle) A particle that is emitted in beta decay: either an electron or its antiparticle, the positron.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"beta particle." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "beta particle." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-betaparticle.html "beta particle." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-betaparticle.html |
|
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
