Editing Beta decay (section)

==={{SubatomicParticle|Beta+}}&nbsp;decay and electron capture===
In 1934, [[Frédéric Joliot-Curie|Frédéric]] and [[Irène Joliot-Curie]] bombarded aluminium with alpha particles to effect the nuclear reaction {{nuclide|Helium|4}}&nbsp;+&nbsp;{{nuclide|Aluminium|27}}&nbsp;→ {{nuclide|Phosphorus|30}}&nbsp;+&nbsp;{{nuclide|neutronium|1}}, and observed that the product isotope {{nuclide|Phosphorus|30}} emits a positron identical to those found in cosmic rays (discovered by [[Carl David Anderson]] in 1932). This was the first example of {{SubatomicParticle|Beta+}}&nbsp;decay ([[positron emission]]), which they termed [[artificial radioactivity]] since {{nuclide|Phosphorus|30}} is a short-lived nuclide which does not exist in nature. In recognition of their discovery, the couple were awarded the [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] in 1935.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1935/|title=The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1935|website=www.nobelprize.org|access-date=2018-04-25}}</ref>

The theory of [[electron capture]] was first discussed by [[Gian-Carlo Wick]] in a 1934 paper, and then developed by [[Hideki Yukawa]] and others. K-electron capture was first observed in 1937 by [[Luis Walter Alvarez|Luis Alvarez]], in the nuclide <sup>48</sup>V.<ref name=k>{{cite book
 |last=Segré
 |first=E.
 |year=1987
 |chapter=K-Electron Capture by Nuclei
 |editor1-last=Trower
 |editor1-first=P. W.
 |title=Discovering Alvarez: Selected Works of Luis W. Alvarez
 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/discoveringalvar0000alva/page/11 11–12]
 |publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]
 |isbn=978-0-226-81304-2
 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/discoveringalvar0000alva/page/11
 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Nobel Prize in Physics 1968: Luis Alvarez |url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1968/alvarez-bio.html |publisher=[[The Nobel Foundation]] |access-date=2009-10-07 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal
 |last1=Alvarez |first1=L. W.
 |year=1937
 |title=Nuclear K Electron Capture
 |journal=[[Physical Review]]
 |volume=52 |issue=2 |pages=134–135
 |bibcode=1937PhRv...52..134A
 |doi=10.1103/PhysRev.52.134
}}</ref> Alvarez went on to study electron capture in <sup>67</sup>Ga and other nuclides.<ref name=k /><ref>{{cite journal
 |last1=Alvarez |first1=L. W.
 |year=1938
 |title=Electron Capture and Internal Conversion in Gallium 67
 |journal=[[Physical Review]]
 |volume=53 |issue=7 |page=606
 |bibcode=1938PhRv...53..606A
 |doi=10.1103/PhysRev.53.606
}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal
 |last1=Alvarez|first1=L. W.
 |year=1938
 |title=The Capture of Orbital Electrons by Nuclei
 |journal=[[Physical Review]]
 |volume=54 |issue=7 |pages=486–497
 |bibcode=1938PhRv...54..486A
 |doi=10.1103/PhysRev.54.486
}}</ref>