The Atomic Number of a Radioactive Element at the moment of emission of the γ-rays

Extract

It is well known that the β-ray type of disintegration is usually accompanied by the emission of γ-rays, and it is a matter of great importance to decide which of these two phenomena occurs first, that is, whether the γ-rays are emitted before the nucleus disintegrates or afterwards. It is not practicable to attempt a direct solution of this problem, but since the emission of the disintegration electron results in a change of the nuclear charge of + 1 it would be sufficient to determine the atomic number of the radioactive body at the moment of emission of the γ-rays. For instance, an atom of the β-ray body radium B has an atomic number 82, but after disintegration when it becomes radium C it has an atomic number 83, so that if the γ-rays were known to be emitted from a body of atomic number 82 it would mean that they were emitted before the disintegration, whereas if the atomic number 83 were found it would show that they were emitted afterwards.