Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Types of Radioactivity03:23

Types of Radioactivity

21.1K
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:
21.1K
Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations03:18

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

29.3K
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...
29.3K
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

24.0K
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...
24.0K
Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating02:48

Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating

39.8K
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.
39.8K
Nuclear Transmutation03:20

Nuclear Transmutation

20.9K
Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed...
20.9K
Nuclear Fission02:50

Nuclear Fission

12.8K
Many heavier elements with smaller binding energies per nucleon can decompose into more stable elements that have intermediate mass numbers and larger binding energies per nucleon—that is, mass numbers and binding energies per nucleon that are closer to the “peak” of the binding energy graph near 56. Sometimes neutrons are also produced. This decomposition of a large nucleus into smaller pieces is called fission. The breaking is rather random with the formation of a large...
12.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The governance of surgical innovation in the UK National Health Service.

The British journal of surgery·2026
Same author

Canadian Surgery Forum: Abstracts of presentations to the Annual Meetings of the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons, Canadian Association of General Surgeons, Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons, Canadian Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology, Canadian Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Vancouver, BC, Sept. 17-21, 2013.

Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie·2025
Same author

Neutron Polarimetry Using a Polarized <sup>3</sup>He Cell for the aCORN Experiment.

Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment·2024
Same author

Expectations and outcomes of varying treatment strategies for CML presenting during pregnancy.

British journal of haematology·2024
Same author

Emission Ghost Imaging: reconstruction with data augmentation.

Physical review. A·2024
Same author

The effect of bariatric surgery type on cardiac reverse remodelling.

International journal of obesity (2005)·2024
Same journal

Precise Numerical Differentiation of Thermodynamic Functions with Multicomplex Variables.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

Characterization of 3-Dimensional Printing and Casting Materials for use in Computed Tomography and X-ray Imaging Phantoms.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

On The Quotient of a Centralized and a Non-centralized Complex Gaussian Random Variable.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

Fast Methods for Finding Multiple Effective Influencers in Real Networks.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

Disinfection of Respirators with Ultraviolet Radiation.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

DNA Origami Design: A How-To Tutorial.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor
10:24

Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor

Published on: May 7, 2021

2.9K

Detecting the Radiative Decay Mode of the Neutron.

B M Fisher1, F E Wietfeldt1, M S Dewey2

  • 1Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118 USA.

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
|June 17, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers are developing an experiment to observe the rare radiative beta-decay of the neutron. This fundamental weak decay process, involving photon emission, has never been experimentally confirmed, despite extensive neutron decay studies.

Keywords:
beta decayneutron decayradiative correctionsradiative decay

More Related Videos

High-Resolution Neutron Spectroscopy to Study Picosecond-Nanosecond Dynamics of Proteins and Hydration Water
08:48

High-Resolution Neutron Spectroscopy to Study Picosecond-Nanosecond Dynamics of Proteins and Hydration Water

Published on: April 28, 2022

2.2K
Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
10:42

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh

Published on: May 3, 2019

7.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor
10:24

Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor

Published on: May 7, 2021

2.9K
High-Resolution Neutron Spectroscopy to Study Picosecond-Nanosecond Dynamics of Proteins and Hydration Water
08:48

High-Resolution Neutron Spectroscopy to Study Picosecond-Nanosecond Dynamics of Proteins and Hydration Water

Published on: April 28, 2022

2.2K
Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
10:42

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh

Published on: May 3, 2019

7.4K

Area of Science:

  • Nuclear Physics
  • Particle Physics
  • Fundamental Symmetries

Background:

  • Neutron beta-decay is a fundamental weak interaction process.
  • Radiative beta-decay, accompanied by photon emission, is a rare branch of neutron decay.
  • This rare decay channel has not yet been experimentally observed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally detect and study the radiative beta-decay of the neutron.
  • To develop a novel experimental setup for observing this rare fundamental decay.
  • To investigate the properties of weak interactions through a unique decay channel.

Main Methods:

  • Developing an experiment at the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) NG-6 endstation.
  • Utilizing an electron-proton coincidence trigger from the NIST proton-trap lifetime experiment for background reduction.
  • Designing and testing a large solid-angle gamma-ray detector for 10 keV–200 keV photons.
  • Considering scintillating crystals with avalanche photodiodes for gamma-ray detection in magnetic fields and low temperatures.

Main Results:

  • The experiment is currently under development.
  • Detector tests and design for gamma-ray detection are in progress.
  • The feasibility of using scintillating crystals and avalanche photodiodes is being explored.

Conclusions:

  • Successful observation of radiative neutron beta-decay would provide crucial tests of the Standard Model.
  • The proposed experiment aims to fill a significant gap in our understanding of fundamental weak decays.
  • The developed detector technology will be essential for achieving the necessary sensitivity.