Physics GCSE
Alpha emission
What Alpha emission means in Physics GCSE, as defined for OCR.
Definition of Alpha emission
Check what you remember
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Reference: OCR
Emitting a helium nucleus of 2 protons and 2 neutrons lowers the mass number by 4 and the proton number by 2, reducing both mass and positive charge.
Topics that use Alpha emission
- Radioactive emissions (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- Absorbing materials
- Beta emission
- conservation of charge
- conservation of mass number
- Conventional nuclear notation
- Electron energy levels
- Emission and absorption of electromagnetic radiation
- Half-life
Using Alpha emission in the exam
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