Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

Nuclear chemistry is the study of reactions that involve changes in nuclear structure. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and, except for hydrogen, neutrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number (Z) of the element, and the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are isotopes of the same element.
A nuclide of an element has a specific number of protons and...

Types of Radioactivity

Types of Radioactivity

The most common types of radioactivity are α decay, β decay, γ decay, neutron emission, and electron capture.
Alpha (α) decay is the emission of an α particle from the nucleus. For example, polonium-210 undergoes α decay:

Nuclear Stability

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together in the...

Nuclear Binding Energy

Nuclear Binding Energy

The difference between the calculated and experimentally measured masses is known as the mass defect of the atom. In the case of helium-4, the mass defect indicates a “loss” in mass of 4.0331 amu – 4.0026 amu = 0.0305 amu. The loss in mass accompanying the formation of an atom from protons, neutrons, and electrons is due to the conversion of that mass into energy that is evolved as the atom forms. The nuclear binding energy is the energy produced when the atoms’ nucleons are bound together;...

Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating

Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating

Radioactivity is a spontaneous disintegration of an unstable nuclide and is a random process, as all the nuclei in the sample do not decay simultaneously. The number of disintegrations per unit time is called the activity (A), which is directly proportional to the number of nuclei in the sample. The decay constant (λ) is an average probability of decay per nucleus in unit time.

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Lab

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Lab

For AAS measurements, samples must be introduced as clear solutions, often requiring extensive preliminary treatment to dissolve materials like soils, animal tissues, and minerals. Common methods for sample preparation include treatment with hot mineral acids, wet ashing, combustion in closed containers, high-temperature ashing, or fusion with reagents.
Solutions containing organic solvents, such as low-molecular-mass alcohols, esters, or ketones, enhance absorbances by increasing nebulizer...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Tissue-based biomarkers of male genital lichen sclerosus.

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology·2026

Same author

Corrigendum to "Pilot validation study for a large image database of proximal femur fracture anteroposterior radiographs: Searching for the ground truth" Injury, 2026 Jan 22;57(3):113056].

Injury·2026

Same author

Putative Tissue-Based Biomarkers of Male Genital Lichen Sclerosus-A Systematic Literature Review.

The Australasian journal of dermatology·2025

Same author

Measurement of the Positive Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment to 127 ppb.

Physical review letters·2025

Same author

Measurement of the Positive Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment to 0.20 ppm.

Physical review letters·2023

Same author

A survey of patient informational preferences when choosing between medical and surgical therapy for ulcerative colitis: a sub-study from the DISCUSS project.

Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometry With Tunable Vacuum Ultraviolet VUV Synchrotron Radiation

Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometry With Tunable Vacuum Ultraviolet VUV Synchrotron Radiation

Published on: October 30, 2012

Measurement of Neutron Decay Parameters-The abBA Experiment.

W S Wilburn¹, J D Bowman¹, G S Mitchell¹

¹Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87544.

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology

|June 17, 2016

Summary

This experiment will precisely measure neutron decay correlations to test the Standard Model. Achieving 10(-4) precision will refine measurements of the weak interaction

Keywords:

neutron beta decay weak interactions

More Related Videos

Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models

Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models

Published on: November 15, 2013

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Published on: October 23, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometry With Tunable Vacuum Ultraviolet VUV Synchrotron Radiation

Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometry With Tunable Vacuum Ultraviolet VUV Synchrotron Radiation

Published on: October 30, 2012

Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models

Setting Limits on Supersymmetry Using Simplified Models

Published on: November 15, 2013

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Published on: October 23, 2014

Area of Science:

Nuclear Physics
Particle Physics
Fundamental Symmetries

Background:

Neutron decay is a fundamental process for studying the weak nuclear force.
Precise measurements of neutron decay observables are crucial for testing the Standard Model and searching for new physics.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel experiment for high-precision measurements of neutron decay correlations (a, A, B) and the Fierz interference term (b).
To achieve a precision of approximately 10(-4) for these observables.
To provide a redundant determination of the ratio of weak coupling constants (λ = gA/gV) for improved CKM unitarity tests.

Main Methods:

Utilizing an electromagnetic spectrometer and two large-area segmented silicon detectors for coincident detection of protons and electrons.
Employing 4π acceptance for both decay products.
Implementing precision neutron polarimetry with a pulsed neutron beam and a polarized Helium-3 (³He) neutron polarizer.

Main Results:

The experiment is under development, aiming for unprecedented precision in neutron decay measurements.
The setup is designed to measure neutron-polarization-dependent observables (A and B) with high accuracy.
Simultaneous measurement of 'a' and 'A' will offer a robust determination of λ.

Conclusions:

The developed experimental approach promises significant advancements in testing the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix.
Reducing uncertainty in λ is critical for constraining new physics beyond the Standard Model.
This research will contribute to a deeper understanding of fundamental symmetries in nature.