BRAINCAKEMass-Energy Equivalence
In radioactive decay, energy is released. The total mass of all the decay products after the decay is less than the total mass of the nucleus before the decay as some of the mass has been converted to the energy released. The relationship between the energy released Q and the difference in mass Δm is that Q = Δmc2 where c is the speed of light in a vacuum.
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Key terms in this lesson
- electron capture
- A process in which a proton-rich nucleus captures an inner-shell electron, converting a proton into a neutron and emitting a neutrino.
More in Nuclear Energy
- Strong Nuclear Force
- Binding Energy and Nuclear Stability
- Quantum Tunnelling
- Nuclear Fission
- Nuclear Fusion
- Nuclear Reactors
- Safety
All 8 lessons in Nuclear Energy · All OCR A-level Physics topics