Nucleus Stability determined by:

Coulomb/Electrostatic Repulsion
o Protons repelling
Strong Nuclear Force
o Nucleons proximal attraction
o Responsible for nucleus staying together
All Stable nuclides belong in Zone of Stability
If not they undergo radioactive decay
o Too many protons
o Large Nucleus
Electrostatic force are long range
o Large Mass
o Too many neutrons
Neutrons decay into protons if no charges are around them ie
not enough protons to prevent the neutron decay.

Rad Decay Mechanisms

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Alpha Decay (Helium Nucleus)

Beta Decay (Electron)
o One Neutron is changed into proton and an electron ejected
Positron Decay (Beta Plus: Electron antiparticle)
o Usually collides with electrons to form energy ie gamma radiation
Electron Capture
o As substance falls into lower energy state, electrons fill open
valancies
Neutron Emission
o Change in mass only
Gamma Emission

ALPHA DECAY
Decrease of neutrons and protons

BETA DECAY
Decrease on neutrons and increase of protons

Nuclear Stablitiy Sum

1. Size of nucleus
2. Neutron:proton ratio

N:Z ratio for stability must be around 1, but bends more towards more
neutrons
All unstable isotope decay until below Bismuth-209