What is the composition of radio-activity?

Question

I have to answer the composition of the types of radio -activity:
Alpha particles
i had: 2 protons and 2 neutrons, its posiive
Beta-minus particles
i had: formed by the breakdown [decay] of a neutron into a proton
beta-plus particles
not sure
gamma-ray
i had: released from a nucleus as it sheds excess energy

Are these right? What are the correct answers?

Answer 1

Alpha - yes,



Beta - Yes,



Gamma - Almost. not called excess energy. it is called binding energy.

Answer 2

alpha particles:

"nothing but helium atoms without their electrons"

so, two protons and two neutrons sounds right



Beta minus particles:

Not sure, but beta particles are basically electrons, so if they're minus or opposite-electrons, would that mean anti-electrons or positively charged electrons i.e. positrons? or does your book mean beta particles are negatively charged, so proper nomenclature would be "beta minus" and would then be referring to regular electrons? Sorry.



gamma rays:



can't find anything specific in the book in front of me, but yeah, isn't it released energy after soemthing in the nucleus undergoes a spontaneous transistion or soething like that?



Good luck

Answer 3

alpha ray is the nucleus of He4 mass 4 charge +2

beta minus is an electron negatif of matter mass 0 , charge -1

beta plus is a positive electron antimatter masse 0, charge +1

gamma rays is an electromagnetic radiation mass 0 ,charge 0