What is the alpha particle?
Alfa particle is a type of ionizing radiation. With their partners, the GAMA particles and the beta particles are, alpha particles are one of the most common forms of radiation. The alpha particle is basically the core of the helium, which consists of two neutrons and two protons, without electrons, giving it a clean positive charge. Due to its relatively high weight, alpha particles are the most destructive form of ionizing radiation, but the compromise is that their penetration is low. A piece of paper stops the alpha particles, while the lighter beta particles require an aluminum barrier. Alfa particles
are emitted from various radioactive substances. Unlike beta, the alpha disintegration (the process in which the alpha particles are emitted from the radioactive core) mediated by strong force. According to the classic Newtonian laws, the attraction of the core should be too strong to leave it to the alpha particles at all times. However, quantum tunneling allows it anyway. The quantum tunneling is the immediate teleporting of the particle to the site Pcore radio.
Because alpha particles have such a low penetration force, they are stopped by human skin and represent a small danger if the source is not swallowed. It was the sad fate of the Russian former top Alexandra Litvinenko, considered the first person to died of acute radiation poisoning due to the ingestion of Polonio Alfa emitor. Other well -known alpha emiters include America (found in smoke detectors), radium, radon gas and uranium. When they are connected together with some other radioactive substances, alpha emiters can agit neutron emitors to release neutrons. Neutron emissions are a critical part of the design of a nuclear reactor and nuclear weapons.
In investigating the health effects of smoking, it was found that tobacco leaves contain small amounts of polonium, which emitted Alpha Pčlánky. It is assumed that this could be partly responsible for lung cancer among smokers. INEvolution is played by alpha emiters a decisive role - their probability causing chromosomal mutation is more than 100 times greater than other radiation types. Most of the time it produces less fit mutants, but in combination with the selection of thousands or millions of years, it leads to adaptive biological designs.