beta particle
beta particle, electron (unit negative charge) or positron (unit positive charge) spontaneously emitted by certain unstable atomic nuclei in the radioactive disintegration process of beta decay (q.v.).
Citation Information
Article Title:
beta particle
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
20 December 2021
Access Date:
February 22, 2025