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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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B
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Beta_decay
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INFOTEXT
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1992-09-02
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The disintegration of the nucleus of an atom
to produce a beta particle, or high-speed
electron, and an antineutrino.
During beta decay, a proton in the nucleus
changes into a neutron, thereby increasing
the atomic number by one while the mass
number stays the same. The mass lost in the
change is converted into kinetic (movement)
energy of the beta particle. Beta decay is
caused by the weak nuclear force, one of the
fundamental forces of nature operating inside
the nucleus.