alpha particle

Also known as 4He(2+), helium(2+), ⁴He²⁺, α-particle, α particle

particle of alpha radiation; helium-4 nucleus; particle of two protons and two neutrons

AI overview

An alpha particle is a tiny bundle of matter made up of two protons and two neutrons—essentially the nucleus of a helium atom—that is released when certain radioactive materials break down. It matters because understanding alpha particles helps scientists study radioactivity, nuclear reactions, and the behavior of unstable elements.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

27,742 papers

Actinium-225 targeted alpha particle therapy for prostate cancer.ReviewTheranostics · 2024Bidkar AP, Zerefa L, Yadav S et al.DOI: 10.7150/thno.96403
Alpha-particle microdosimetry.ReviewCurrent radiopharmaceuticals · 2011Chouin N, Bardies MDOI: 10.2174/1874471011104030266
Targeted Alpha-Particle Therapy for Hematologic Malignancies.ReviewSeminars in nuclear medicine · 2020Jurcic JGDOI: 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2019.09.002
Targeted Alpha-Particle Therapy for Hematologic Malignancies.ReviewJournal of medical imaging and radiation sciences · 2019Jurcic JGDOI: 10.1016/j.jmir.2019.05.008
Alpha Particle-Emitting Radiopharmaceuticals as Cancer Therapy: Biological Basis, Current Status, and Future Outlook for Therapeutics Discovery.ReviewMolecular imaging and biology · 2023Coll RP, Bright SJ, Martinus DKJ et al.DOI: 10.1007/s11307-023-01857-y
Targeted and Nontargeted α-Particle Therapies.ReviewAnnual review of biomedical engineering · 2018McDevitt MR, Sgouros G, Sofou SDOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-062117-120931
Alpha and Beta Radiation for Theragnostics.ReviewPET clinics · 2024Song H, Sgouros GDOI: 10.1016/j.cpet.2024.03.006
Development of Targeted Alpha Particle Therapy for Solid Tumors.ReviewMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2019Tafreshi NK, Doligalski ML, Tichacek CJ et al.DOI: 10.3390/molecules24234314

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Mass: 4.001506094180001
Image: Alpha particle.svg

Show 7 more facts

isospin z-component: 0
Commons category: Alpha particles
isospin quantum number: 0
Commons gallery: Alpha particle
magnetic moment: 0
canonical SMILES: [He+2]
chemical formula: He

Sources (4)

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Article

Alpha particles, also called alpha rays or alpha radiation, consist of two protons and two neutrons bound together into a particle identical to the nucleus of a helium-4 atom. They are generally produced in the process of alpha decay but may also be produced in other ways. Alpha particles are named after the first letter in the Greek alphabet, α. The symbol for the alpha particle is α or α. Because they are identical to helium nuclei, they are also sometimes written as He or 2He indicating a helium ion with a +2 charge (missing its two electrons). Once the ion gains electrons from its environment, the alpha particle becomes a normal (electrically neutral) helium atom 2He.

Alpha particles have a net spin of zero. When produced in standard alpha radioactive decay, alpha particles generally have a kinetic energy of about 5 MeV and a velocity in the vicinity of 4% of the speed of light. They are a highly ionizing form of particle radiation, with low penetration depth (stopped by a few centimetres of air, or by the skin).