What is the difference between alpha and beta nuclear decay?
A nucleus with too many neutrons will tend to decay. A neutron will turn into an electron, proton, and antineutrino. The electron and antineutrino are ejected from the nucleus at speed. This emitted electron is called a beta particle and the process is beta decay. If there are too many protons, the nucleus tends to decay by emitting an alpha particle which contains two neutrons and two protons. Alpha particles, being relatively heavy, are easily stopped by a sheet of paper. Alternatively, a proton can turn into an neutron, neutrino and a positron (also beta decay).
