3 Particles of Radiation (least to most energy)

• A. Alpha, Beta, Gamma
• B. Gamma, Beta, Alpha
• C. Beta, Alpha, Gamma
• D. Alpha, Gamma, Beta

Answer: (A)

Energy carried by different types of radiation in a decay depends on the nature of the particle or photon and how the energy is released. An alpha particle is a relatively heavy, charged particle. In alpha decay, the energy released is shared between the alpha particle and the recoiling daughter nucleus, and because the alpha is heavy, its kinetic energy tends to be on the lower end of the spectrum compared with the other forms. A beta particle is an electron or positron, which is much lighter, so it can receive a larger share of the decay energy and therefore typically has more energy than an alpha particle. Gamma radiation is a photon with no mass, and the energy of a gamma ray corresponds to the energy difference between nuclear states. These gamma transitions can release a substantial amount of energy in a single photon, often more than the kinetic energy carried by beta particles. So, the typical ordering by energy from least to most is alpha, then beta, then gamma.