Changes

The decay process is as follows.  

The decay process is as follows.  

Particles consist of various subtypes. Those that can decay are [[meson]]s and [[baryon]]s, which include [[proton]]s and [[neutron]]s; although decays can involve other particles such as [[photon]]s, [[electron]]s, [[positron]]s, and [[neutrino]]s. "Decay" simply refers to a meson or baryon becoming another type of particle, as the number of a certain type of particle goes down or <i>decays</i> as they are converted. This can happen due to one of three forces or "interactions": strong, electromagnetic, and weak, in order of decreasing strength. Historically, these are also known as alpha, gamma, and beta decays, respectively.

Particles consist of various subtypes. Those that can decay are [[meson]]s and [[baryon]]s, which include [[proton]]s and [[neutron]]s; although decays can involve other particles such as [[photon]]s, [[electron]]s, [[positron]]s, and [[neutrino]]s. "Decay" simply refers to a meson or baryon becoming another type of particle, as the number of a certain type of particle goes down or ''decays'' as they are converted. This can happen due to one of three forces or "interactions": strong, electromagnetic, and weak, in order of decreasing strength. Historically, these are also known as alpha, gamma, and beta decays, respectively.

"Atomic decays" are due to proton or neutron decays: either weakly, incrementing up or down the table of elements; or strongly, often splitting into smaller elements, one of which is often [[helium]]. For example, a neutron-deficient nucleus may <i>decay weakly</i> by converting a proton in a neutron (to conserve its positive electric charge, it ejects a positron, as well as a neutrino to conserve the quantum [[lepton number]]); thus the hypothetical atom loses a proton and increments <i>down</i> the table by one element.

"Atomic decays" are due to proton or neutron decays: either weakly, incrementing up or down the table of elements; or strongly, often splitting into smaller elements, one of which is often [[helium]]. For example, a neutron-deficient nucleus may ''decay weakly'' by converting a proton in a neutron (to conserve its positive electric charge, it ejects a positron, as well as a neutrino to conserve the quantum [[lepton number]]); thus the hypothetical atom loses a proton and increments ''down'' the table by one element.

A complex set of rules describes the details of particle decays: historically, the finding of which as been a major objective of particle physics. Most are determined experimentally by institutions such as [[CERN]] with the [[Large Hadron Collider]]. Decays are very random, but for different elements are observed to conform to statistically averaged different lifetimes. If you had an ensemble of identical particles, the probability of finding a given one of them still as they were - with no decay - after some time is given by the mathematical expression  

A complex set of rules describes the details of particle decays: historically, the finding of which as been a major objective of particle physics. Most are determined experimentally by institutions such as [[CERN]] with the [[Large Hadron Collider]]. Decays are very random, but for different elements are observed to conform to statistically averaged different lifetimes. If you had an ensemble of identical particles, the probability of finding a given one of them still as they were - with no decay - after some time is given by the mathematical expression