[Coco] EPROM question

[Phill Harvey-Smith]

Gene Heskett wrote:
> On Saturday 09 February 2008, Joef6809 wrote:
>> Wow ask a simple question and got a lession in partical physics.
>> I also gather that its near if not over its usfull life so I gotta get the
>> thing read quick.
>> BTW I thought alpha particals were just electrons and beta was a proton. Or
>> do I have that backwards?
> 
> I believe you have it correctly.

Alpha = Heleum nucleus, 2xprotons+2xneutrons
Beta  = Electron (or positron in some cases)
Gamma = Photon, which is essentially the same as light, radio waves etc, 
  just of a much higher frequency.

Mind despite what you may have learned at school, these are not the only 
3 modes of decay, just the most common :)

Wikipedia has quite a good overview if anyone is interested....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_decay

Cheers,

Phill.

-- 
Phill Harvey-Smith, Programmer, Hardware hacker, and general eccentric !

"You can twist perceptions, but reality won't budge" -- Rush.