Beta decay transition

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In nuclear physics, a beta decay transition is the change in state of an atomic nucleus undergoing beta decay. When undergoing beta decay, a nucleus emits a beta particle and a corresponding neutrino, transforming the original nuclide into one with the same mass number but differing atomic number (nuclear charge).

There are several types of beta decay transition. In a Fermi transition, the spins of the two emitted particles are anti-parallel, for a combined spin ${\displaystyle S=0}$. As a result, the total angular momentum of the nucleus is unchanged by the transition. By contrast, in a Gamow-Teller transition, the spins of the two emitted particles are parallel, with total spin ${\displaystyle S=1}$, leading to a change in angular momentum between the initial and final states of the nucleus.^[1]

The theoretical work in describing these transitions was done between 1934 and 1936 by George Gamow and Edward Teller at George Washington University.