Alpha Particles

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Show/Hide Sub-topics (Nuclear Physics | A Level)
  1. The É‘-particle Scattering Experiment
  2. Simple Model of The Atom
  3. Atomic Mass
  4. Mass-energy Relation
  5. The Mass Defect 
  6. Binding Energy
  7. Binding Energy Per Nucleon And Nuclear Stability
  8. Nuclear Reactions
  9. Nuclear Fission
  10. Nuclear Fusion
  11. Radioactive Decay
  12. Alpha Particles 
  13. Beta Particles 
  14. Gamma Rays
  15. Comparision of Alpha Particles, Beta Particles And Gamma Rays 
  16. Background Radiation 
  17. Activity, Half-life And Decay constant 
  18. Effects of Radiation On Living Organism 
  19. Geiger-Muller Tube/Counter 

Alpha particles

  • They are helium-4 nuclei, He42
  • Mass: 6.6464835 x 10-27kg
  • Charge: +2e
  • Positively charged, hence deflected by an electric field
  • Deflected by a strong magnetic field
  • Have high ionising power (able to remove electrons from nearby atoms/molecules very effectively), producing a large number of ions(~ 103 to 104) along its path
  • Range of alpha particles in air is about 3-4 cm. Easily stopped by a piece of paper.
  • Cause substances like zinc sulphide to fluoresce and also blacken photographic plates

Alpha decays can be represented by the following equation:

$P_{Z}^{A} \rightarrow D_{Z – 2}^{A – 4} + He_{2}^{4}$, where

  • P is the parent nuclide
  • D is the daughter nuclide

 


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