<em>Alpha radiation:</em> Particles. Each alpha particle is a little bundle of 2 protons and 2 neutrons ... identical to the nucleus of a Helium atom.
Charge . . . +2 elementary charges
Mass . . . 4 Atomic Mass Units
Relative penetrating power . . . low
The effect an electric field would have on it . . . Since the alpha particle has a positive charge, it's repelled by other positive charges, and attracted toward negative charges.
<em>Beta radiation</em>: Particles. Each beta particle is an electron.
Charge . . . -1 elementary charge
Mass . . . 0.00055 AMU
Relative penetrating power . . . medium
The effect an electric field would have on it . . . repelled by other negative charges, and attracted toward positive charges.
<em>Gamma radiation</em>: electromagnetic wave, verrrrry short wave, high frequency
Charge . . . electromagnetic wave, no charge
Mass . . . electromagnetic wave, no mass
Relative penetrating power . . . high
The effect an electric field would have on it . . . electromagnetic wave, no effect
and it says that the energy of an object (E) is equal to the mass (m) of the object multiplied with the squared speed of light (
). This theory says that mass can be turned into energy and energy can be turned into mass. This is one of Einstein's theory of relativity.
