P
Reactive nonmetal
Phosphorus
Z 15A 31mass 30.974
Slow-motion stage
Phosphorus-32
proton
neutron
electron (β⁻)
Parent nucleus · 32 nucleons
15 protons (coral) and 17 neutrons (blue) are packed together and held by the strong force.
A real decay takes about 10⁻²¹ s. At ⅓× this stage stretches it across eleven seconds.
Choose a reaction
Reaction
3215P3216S+β⁻+ ν̄
A neutron turns into a proton. An electron and an antineutrino fly out.
Z
1516
+1
A
3232
no change
n⁰
1716
-1
Energy released
1.71MeV
Electron (max)1.710 MeV
Mass convertedE = Δm c²0.00184 u
In joules2.74 × 10-13 J
Compared with a bonda C–C bond is 3.6 eV≈ 475,000 ×
Half-life of Phosphorus-32
14.27 days
A pure beta emitter used as a tracer in biology.
The particle
- Charge
- −1
- Mass
- 1/1836 u
- Speed
- Up to 99.9% of the speed of light
- Ionising power
- Moderate
- Stopped by
- A few millimetres of aluminium