Beta decay - detailed explanation for A level

[XiiaoJalenex3]

Is this okay for me to learn, i am 15 only =D (birthday over)

[Cakevspie94]

So saying that a nuetron 'splits' to form a proton and electron is the dumbed down version?

[aminkham1]

nice. is there MOT experiment video available?

[ElectronBlast]

read "The Elegant Universe" from brian greene. Is a fantastic book!! :)

[KarbineKyle]

Very Nice! 5/5! I love Science! Ever since I was about 3, I looked up at the stars and always thought, "There has to be so much more out there..." When it comes to nuclear and quantum physics, it's a lot different. I love books like "Hyperspace", or "Beyond The Cosmos", I love Science, because there are so many questions and so little answers, if you think about it, in just our dimension...

[Piscivorus]

You said both the number of nucleons and number of protons are the same on both sides. The number of nucleons is the same but the number of protons isn't, it has to increase from 55 to 56 in order to change from Cs to Ba.

[sypha0x]

He meant the 137

[TheElSehamy]

This is amazing thank you very much!

[RyanMitchy]

W- and W+ and Z are the weak nuclear force,

any anti quark will have a line above its initial

[hikuro14]

Is a W minus boson an anti-bottom quark and a strange quark?

[dangerbird89]

how do scientists know that theres a change of quarks? do they assume that? it hasnt been observed obviously or has it?

[fizzicsorg]

It is, I think inferred, rather than observed, however the existence of quarks is supported by observation and the different types or "flavours" are supported by observation and mathematical analysis. The structure of each of these hadrons is therefore reasonably firmly established therefore the nature of the change seems a reasonable thing to infer.

[222westlane]

Hi, does the intermediate stage always occur? ie: an emission of a boson then into the two other particles finally. Thanks

[fizzicsorg]

Yes, although the stage is very brief.

[Deathless2288]

video was uploaded on my birthday, nice. beta decay ftw!

[Theocrooks]

wait. At 27 seconds you say that the proton number is the same on both sides of the equation, but it's not. that's ok I'll try and understand it anyway. I have a physics test tomorrow. I'm trying to figure out the difference between positive beta decay and negative beta decay. . . or if positive beta decay is the same as alpha decay or what.

[fizzicsorg]

Sorry, the reply is a bit late but the proton numbers do balance, 55 on the left and 56-1=55 on the right.

Roger at fizzicsorg

[kurentmalik]

I have a question. Where does this happens in nature? If you have any example when this happens in nature, It would be a huge help!thank you.

[fizzicsorg]

Beta decay is very common in nature. Rather than give you one or two examples here if you type beta decay into Google and pick the images search you will see a lot of illustrated examples.

[schnugglepup1]

From this short video an enormous penny has just dropped with Feynman diagrams, thank you so much!