Question

Consider the following statements
A. Energy spectrum of alpha particles emitted in radioactive decay is discrete
B. Energy spectrum of beta particles emitted in radioactive decay is continuous
A) Only A is correct
B) Only B is correct
C) A is correct but B is wrong
D) Both A and B are correct.

Answer 1

Hint: The problem is from the section radioactivity. There are three types of radioactive decay. They are alpha decay, beta decay and gamma decay. By applying the theoretical concepts of these decay processes we can find which one is the correct answer.

Complete step by step solution:
Alpha particle energy spectrum is discrete. In other words, the energy spectrum we observe in the emission of helium ions is a crisp line spectrum. There will be a number of distinct lines with different intensities in the spectrum.

Because beta emission happens simultaneously with the emission of the antineutrino, the energy distribution of beta particles is continuous. The pair of emitted particles have a fixed amount of energy. However, because the two particles cross, their energy is shared.

The distribution of beta particle energy values, often known as the beta spectrum, is continuous. The electron, the antineutrino, and the recoiling nuclide each receive a portion of the total energy of the decay process.

Hence, both A and B are correct options.

Additional Information:
Radioactivity is the emission of particles from nuclei as a result of nuclear instability. An unstable atomic nucleus that wants to give up some energy in order to shift to a more stable form. Although alpha, beta, and gamma radiation are the most prominent types of radiation, there are various other types of radioactive decay.

In 1896, Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity by accident, that uranium can blacken a photographic plate, even in the dark. Alpha, beta and gamma are the three main types of radioactivity. An alpha particle is identical to that of a helium nucleus. It contains two protons and two neutrons. As a result of beta decay, the nucleus has one less neutron, but one extra proton.

The atomic number (Z), increases by 1 and the mass number (A), stays the same. Gamma rays are not charged particles like alpha and beta particles. Gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation with high frequency. When atoms decay by emitting a or b particles to form a new atom, the nuclei of the new atom formed may still have too much energy to be completely stable.

Note: Geiger-Muller counter is an instrument which measures radioactive decay by registering the ions and electrons produced as a radioactive particle passes through a gas-filled chamber.