The half-life is related to the energy released by this process according to the Geiger-Nuttall Law.
The probability of a particle involved in this process existing before this process takes place is equal to the squared matrix element of the overlap of two wavefunctions and is known as the preformation factor. The kinetic energy of the product of this process is proportional to a quantity relating the masses of inputs to this process; that value is known as the Q-value. The probability of this process occurring can be calculated by applying the WKB approximation with a (*) Coulomb potential; that model of this process is based on quantum tunneling and was developed by Gamow. The half-life is related to the energy released by this process according to the Geiger-Nuttall Law. This process decreases the mass number by four and the atomic number by two. For 10 points, name this decay method in which an atom decays by emitting a helium nucleus.
The probability of a particle involved in this process existing before this process takes place is equal to the squared matrix element of the overlap of two wavefunctions and is known as the preformation factor.
alpha decay [prompt on “decay” or “radioactive decay”]