Electron Capture

Key Questions

• What causes electron capture?

  Electron capture can occur when an electron comes too close to a proton. The negative electron and the positive proton are attracted to each other. If the electron and proton do combine, a neutron will be formed.

  Kathryn Celestine · · Jul 1 2014
• What is electron capture?

  Thanks so much for your question regarding electron capture. This is one of the means that a nuclear change can take place. When a nuclear change takes place, an atom changes its identity and is now an atom of a different element.

  Electron capture occurs when an inner-orbital electron (negatively charged) is captured by the nucleus (positively charged). The result is that a proton will combine with this electron and a neutron is formed. This process will reduce the atomic number by one and not changed the atom's mass.

  And example of this would be is Be-7 undergoes electron capture. Be-7 has four protons and 3 neutrons. Your atomic number will drop by one, thus a lithium atom is formed and the mass will remain the same. Li-7 is the result.

  

  Also, note that gamma radiation is emitted along with electron capture to release excess energy.

  Hope this helps.

  Kathryn Celestine · · Jul 22 2014

• How do electron capture detectors work?
• Why does electron capture produce a neutrino?
• Can chemical bonds affect the rate of electron capture?
• How does electron capture affect the neutron-proton ratio?
• What elements of the periodic table decay through electron capture?
• When does electron capture emit gamma rays?
• Who wrote the theory of electron capture?
• What are Auger electrons?
• What is L-electron capture?
• What is K-electron capture?
• What causes electron capture?
• Can a free proton normally be changed to a free neutron by electron capture?
• What will rubidium-83 will decay into by electron capture?
• How can I write the electron capture equation?
• Is electron capture a type of decay?
• When does electron capture occur instead of positron emission?
• What are some common radioisotopes that decay by electron capture?
• How does electron capture work?
• What do you call the ability of an atom to capture an electron?
• What is an electron neutrino?
• What is an electron capture detector?
• How does electron capture cause transmutations?
• What is the equation for electron capture of uranium 237?
• What is the equation for sodium 22 undergoing electron capture?
• What is electron capture?
• Question #cbe87
• Question #fab75
• What does photoelectron spectroscopy do?
• What is the electron capture reaction for astatine-200 in terms of the individual steps?
• What is the product of electron capture in silver-106?
• Question #a9f0d