Electron capture

In electron capture (commonly denoted by the Greek letter ε), the proton-rich nucleus absorbs an atomic electron, turning a proton into a neutron and emitting a neutrino.

History

Electron capture was first observed in 1937 by the American physicist Luis Walter Alvarez (1911 – 1988).

Related concepts

• abundance
• alpha decay
• auger effect
• beta decay
• gamma decay
• internal conversion
• mass defect
• nuclear decay
• nuclear fission
• nuclear fusion