B.Sc. (H.

) Physics (Section –II)

Semester IV

Elements of Modern Physics (2019-20)

Alpha Decay

by
Sonia Lumb
Alpha decay
It occurs in heavy nuclei (A > 210) as a means of increasing their stability by reducing their
size.

Alpha particles are emitted rather than individual protons or 3He2 nuclei because of their
high binding energies.

Energy Q released when various particles are emitted by a heavy nucleus is given by

(Disintegration energy) Q = (mi - mf - mx)c2

mi : mass of initial nucleus, mf : mass of final nucleus, mx : particle mass.

Alpha decay in 232U92 is accompanied by the release of 5.4 MeV,

Proton needs 6.1 MeV to be supplied from outside and
3He nucleus needs 9.6 MeV to be to be supplied from outside.
2
Energy of alpha particles emitted during alpha decay
AP A-4D + 4He
Z Z-2 2

From mass-energy conservation

mP c2 = mD c2 + mα c2 + KD + Kα,

mP : mass of Parent atom, mD : mass of Daughter atom

KD : Kinetic energy of Daughter atom, Kα : Kinetic energy of α particle.

Here, we have assumed that the parent atom is at rest.

(Disintegration energy) Q = KD + Kα = [mP - (mD + mα)] c2

Conservation of linear momentum demands

mα vα = mD vD. (1)
vD : speeds of daughter atom, vα speed of alpha particle.
Energy of alpha particles emitted during alpha decay (contd.)
Kα = mα vα 2/2, KD = mD vD 2/2
Substituting for vD from Eq. (1)
KD= mD (mα vα /mD)2/2 = mα vα 2(mα /mD)/2

mD KD = mα Kα
Q = KD + Kα = Kα (1 + mα / mD)]

Since, mα = 4 and mD = A-4, KD = (4/(A-4)) Kα

Q = KD + Kα = (A/(A-4)) Kα

Kα = ((A-4)/A) Q KD = 4 Q / A

A of nearly all alpha emitters exceed 210. Therefore, A-4 is approx. A, Kα = Q and KD
approx 0.
 Alpha decay cannot be explained by Classical Physics
Alpha decay can be explained by Tunnel effect of Quantum Mechanics

(a) In classical physics, an alpha particle whose kinetic energy is less than the height of the
potential barrier around a nucleus cannot enter or leave the nucleus, whose radius is R0.
(b) In quantum physics, such an alpha particle can tunnel through the potential barrier with a
probability that decreases with the height and thickness of the barrier.
Source:Concepts of Modern Physics, Arthur Beiser, 2002, McGraw-Hill
• Figure is a plot of the potential energy U of an alpha particle as a function of its distance r from
the center of a certain heavy nucleus.

• The height of the potential barrier is about 25 MeV, which is equal to the work that must be done
against the repulsive electric force to bring an alpha particle from infinity to a position adjacent to
the nucleus but just outside the range of its attractive forces.

• We may therefore regard an alpha particle in such a nucleus as being inside a box whose walls
require an energy of 25 MeV to be surmounted.

• Decay alpha particles have energies that range from 4 to 9 MeV, depending on the particular
nuclide involved.
 Gamow’s Theory of alpha decay

The basic notions of this theory are:

• An alpha particle may exist as an entity within a heavy nucleus.

• Such a particle is in constant motion and is held in the nucleus by a potential
barrier.
• There is a small—but definite—likelihood that the particle may tunnel through the
barrier.

The decay probability per unit time, λ, can be expressed as

λ=νT

ν : number of times per second an alpha particle within a nucleus strikes the potential
barrier
T : probability that the particle will be transmitted through the barrier.
 Gamow’s Theory of alpha decay

If we suppose that at any moment only one alpha particle exists as such in a nucleus
and that it moves back and forth along a nuclear diameter,
𝑣
(Collision frequency) ν=
2 𝑅0

𝑣 : alpha-particle velocity when it eventually leaves the nucleus.

R0 : nuclear radius.

Typical values are:

𝑣 = 2 x 107 m/s R0 = 1014 m ν = 1021 s-1 .

The alpha particle knocks at its confining wall 1021 times per second and yet may have
to wait an average of as much as 1010 y to escape from some nuclei.
 Gamow’s Theory of alpha decay
An approximate value of the transmission probability
T = e -2k2L (2)
L: width of the barrier and

2𝑚(𝑈 −𝐸)
k2 = (3)
ℏ

Eq. (2) is for a rectangular potential barrier.

An alpha particle inside a nucleus is faced with a barrier of varying
height.
ln T = -2k2L (4)
Expressing it as the integral
(5)

R0 : radius of nucleus, R: distance from center at which U = E.

 Gamow’s Theory of alpha decay
For r = R, (kinetic energy) E = (potential energy) U.
As r>R, the particle permanently escapes the nucleus.

Electric potential energy of α-particle at the distance r

(6)

Z : atomic number of the daughter nucleus.

We therefore have
(7)

Since U = E when r = R,
(8)
 Gamow’s Theory of alpha decay
k2 can be rewritten as
(9)

Hence,

(10)

Substituting
𝑟 = 𝑅 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃, 𝑑𝑟 = −2𝑅 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 𝑑𝜃

1/2
𝑅
−1 𝑑𝑟 = −2𝑅 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
𝑟

ln T (11)
 Gamow’s Theory of alpha decay
Since the potential barrier is relatively wide, R >> R0, and
𝜋
cos − 𝜃 = sin 𝜃
2
1/2 1/2
𝑅0 𝑅0
sin ≈
𝑅 𝑅
1/2 1/2
𝜋 𝑅0 𝑅0
cos − ≈
2 𝑅 𝑅

1/2 1/2
𝑅0 𝜋 𝑅0
cos −1 ≈ −
𝑅 2 𝑅
1
𝑅0 2
and 1− ≈1
𝑅
 Gamow’s Theory of alpha decay

Using

we have

Substituting the values of various constants leads to

E is energy in MeV, R0 is the nuclear radius in fermis, and Z is the atomic number of
the daughter nucleus.
 Gamow’s Theory of alpha decay

Since

As defined, decay constant

Taking log 10 on both sides and substituting for T

Experimental verification of Gamow’s Theory

• The line fitted to the experimental data has 1.72

slope as predicted by theory.
• The nuclear radius, R0, determined from the
position of the line is just about what is
obtained from nuclear scattering experiments.
• Theory predicts that the decay constant, and
hence the half-life, should vary strongly with the
alpha-particle energy E. This is indeed the case.
• The slowest decay is that of 232Th90, whose half-
life is 1.3 x 1010 y and the alpha particle energy
is 4.05 MeV, and the fastest decay is that of
212Po , whose half-life is 3.0 x 107s and the
84
alpha particle energy is 8.95 MeV.

Source: Concepts of Modern Physics, Arthur Beiser, 2002, McGraw-Hill

Reference Books:

• Concepts of Modern Physics, Arthur Beiser, 2002, McGraw-Hill.

• Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics, V. K. Mittal, R. C.

Verma, S. C. Gupta, 3rd Edition, PHI Learning Private Limited.
Thanks