Radioactive Decay- Mindmap

Alpha Decay
1. Decreases the charge and the mass of the nucleus
2. When the nucleus gives out an Alpha particle, it loses two protons and two nutrons.
3. This means the mass number decreases by 4 and the atomic number decreases by 2.
Beta-minus decay
1. Increases the charge of the nucleus
2. A neutron becomes a proton and an electron
3. The mass number doesn't change and the atomic number increases by one.
Beta-plus decay
1. Decreases the charge of the nucleus.
2. A proton becomes a neutron and a positron.
3. The mass number doesn't change and the atomic number decreases by 1.
Neutron
1. Decreases the mass of the nucleas
2. The nucleus emits a neutron
3. This means the mass number decreases by 1 but the atomic number stays the same.
Gamma Rays
1. Don't change the charge or mass of the nucleus.
2. A way to get rid of excess energy. The nucleus goes from an excited state to a more stable state.
3. The mass and atomic number stay the same after a gamma ray has been emitted.

Resource summary

	Created by Melia Greene over 6 years ago