12.8 Nuclear Energy Levels

Question 1

What energies do alpha and gamma particles produced in radioactive decay have?

Answer 1

Discrete energies. This is evidence in support of the existence of nuclear energy levels.

Question 2

Where do the protons and neutrons in a nucleus exist?

Answer 2

In discrete energy levels just as the electrons in atoms do.

Question 3

What happens when there is a transition from one energy level to a lower one?

Answer 3

The emitted alpha or gamma particle has a discrete energy equal to the energy difference between the levels involved.

Question 4

What is the energy of beta particles?

Answer 4

Continuous

Question 5

What happens in B- decay?

Answer 5

An additional particle called an anti neutrino is produced. The three reaction products then share the amiable energy in many different ways depending on their direction of motion.