TYPES OF RADIOACTIVITY

There are three main types of radioactivity: alpha (a) beta(b) gamma(g) The table shows some of their properties

[m is the mass of the electron - very small, one electron has a mass of about 10^-30 kg!]
(this is an easier way of writing its mass than as 0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 001 kg)
[c is the speed of light, 300 000 km/s]

Experiments have identified the three types of radiation as:
Alpha – the two protons and two neutrons (the nucleus of a helium atom)
Beta – high speed electrons
Gamma – very short wavelength electromagnetic radiation