How to Use alpha particle in a Sentence

alpha particle

noun
  • This means that an alpha particle is a helium atom without the electrons.
    — WIRED, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Like a bent arm, the Hoyle state takes the shape of an obtuse triangle with an alpha particle at each vertex.
    — Quanta Magazine, 4 Dec. 2012
  • The mass of an alpha particle is more than 7,000 times larger than that of a beta particle.
    — WIRED, 8 Sep. 2023
  • My next step is to give it the ability to detect alpha particles as well as beta particles, as Keller’s version can do.
    — Tim Kuhlbusch, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2024
  • Hoyle state nuclei almost always decay right back into beryllium and an alpha particle.
    — Quanta Magazine, 4 Dec. 2012
  • Phosphorus has two additional protons compared to aluminum and was formed when the alpha particles fused with the aluminum nuclei.
    — Andrea Richard, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Starting with oxygen gas, the team will split its nucleus into a helium nucleus, also known as an alpha particle, and a carbon-12 nucleus.
    — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 21 Aug. 2019
  • The fourth decay can occur by two different routes, with each path releasing one alpha particle and one beta particle before reaching lead-209.
    — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, 1 Feb. 2020
  • These particles, primarily composed of electrons, protons, and helium nuclei (known as alpha particles), fly all over the solar system.
    — Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, 9 Aug. 2018
  • But unlike cosmic radiation or radon gas, plutonium can lodge itself inside the body and deliver tissue damaging alpha particles over a lifetime.
    — Ralph Vartabedian, latimes.com, 16 Apr. 2018
  • But unlike cosmic radiation or radon gas, plutonium can lodge itself inside the body and deliver tissue-damaging alpha particles over a lifetime.
    — Ted Sickinger, OregonLive.com, 22 Apr. 2018
  • These cells will convert the kinetic energy of alpha particles into usable electricity, powering a laptop-class device.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026
  • In essence, this would mean that alpha particles (helium nuclei) released by decaying uranium (or some other fissile material) would be focused through engine nozzles to generate thrust.
    — Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Avalanche will work to build solid-state microfabricated cells that convert alpha particles emitted by radioactive isotopes into electricity (alphavoltaic cells).
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026
  • However, because the alpha particles will damage a semiconductor, their use generally requires a conversion option that relies on heat converted to electricity.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 25 Aug. 2025
  • The most common forms occur when an unstable nucleus spits out an alpha particle, consisting of two neutrons and two protons, a beta particle consisting of an energetic positron or electron, or a gamma ray, consisting of a high energy photon.
    — The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024
  • To that end, the Indian lander and rover carried half a dozen scientific instruments—a 10-centimeter probe to analyze the soil’s thermal properties, an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and so forth.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 29 Aug. 2023
  • Because phosphorus-30 was created after bombarding aluminum with alpha particles – rather than occurring in its natural state – Irene and Frederic induced the radioactivity.
    — Andrea Richard, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
  • While the Joliot-Curies were bombarding their samples with alpha particles at relatively low speeds, the Michigan State facility can accelerate stable isotopes up to half the speed of light and smash them on a target to produce new radioisotopes.
    — Andrea Richard, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alpha particle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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