EESC 1158 Lecture Notes - Beta Particle, Coastal Erosion, Alpha Particle
11 Mar 2014
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Document Summary
Uranium and thorium are unstable, they decay spontaneously. U soppntaneously emits a particle from its nucleus called an alpha particle (2 protons + 2 neutrons) U = parent , th = daughter product. Th is also unstable, and emits a beta particle. Beta particle = an electron discharged from the nucleus when a neutron split into a proton and an electron. This process is radioactive decay, eventually uranium (parent) decays to lead (daughter) Rate at which this is called is half life . Relates to the age of the earth in 2 ways. : as radioactive elements decay in the earth they heat up the surrounding rocks, radiometric dating. Relates to the source of heat within the earth that lord kelvin did not account for. Taking much longer to cool than kelvin thought. K40 ar40 half life = 1. 3 billion years.
