10 Facts About Electron capture

Electron capture is a process in which the proton-rich nucleus of an electrically neutral atom absorbs an inner atomic electron, usually from the K or L electron shells.

Electron capture is an example of weak interaction, one of the four fundamental forces.

Electron capture is the primary decay mode for isotopes with a relative superabundance of protons in the nucleus, but with insufficient energy difference between the isotope and its prospective daughter for the nuclide to decay by emitting a positron.

Electron capture is always an alternative decay mode for radioactive isotopes that do have sufficient energy to decay by positron emission.

Electron capture is sometimes included as a type of beta decay, because the basic nuclear process, mediated by the weak force, is the same.

Electron capture is sometimes called inverse beta decay, though this term usually refers to the interaction of an electron antineutrino with a proton.

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 by Luis Alvarez, in vanadium, V, which he reported in 1937.

Radioactive isotopes that decay by pure electron capture can be inhibited from radioactive decay if they are fully ionized .

Electron capture happens most often in the heavier neutron-deficient elements where the mass change is smallest and positron emission is not always possible.