Nuclear physics | Physics | Khan Academy - Alpha decay | Physics | Khan Academy

Courses on Khan Academy are always 100% free. Start practicing—and saving your progress—now! https://www.khanacademy.org/science/highschool-physics/x6679aa2c65c01e53:nuclear-physics/x6679aa2c65c01e53:radioactive-decay/v/alpha-decay Want to explore more? Check out the full nuclear physics playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSQl0a2vh4HCBNsg2hoAn0ZpFrmNbX4XO During alpha decay, a large, unstable parent nucleus becomes a smaller daughter nucleus. It does this by emitting an alpha particle, a clump of two protons and two neutrons (a He-4 nucleus). The nucleus's atomic number decreases by two, and its mass number decreases by four. The alpha particle is high-energy ionizing radiation—it travels at high speed because it carries away the majority of the energy lost by the nucleus during the decay. Sections: 00:00 - Intro 00:43 - Why are heavy nuclei unstable? 03:50 - What is alpha decay? 05:44 - Alpha decay examples 08:31 - How smoke detectors work ------------------ Khan Academy is a nonprofit organization with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Khan Academy has been translated into dozens of languages, and 15 million people around the globe learn on Khan Academy every month. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we would love your help! Donate here: https://www.khanacademy.org/donate?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=desc Volunteer here: https://www.khanacademy.org/contribute?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=desc