Overview

Alpha Particles are a highly ionizing form of particle radiation which have low penetration (a piece of paper can block them). They consist of two protons and two neutrons bound together into a particle identical to a helium nucleus; hence, it can be written as He2+. The alpha particle mass is 6.644656×10-27 kg, which is equivalent to the energy of 3.72738 GeV.

Sources

Alpha particles are emitted by radioactive substances, such as Uranium, Radon, polonium, or any of counteless others, during the alpha decay process.

Current Events

In November of 2006, ex-KGB operative Alexander Litvinenko was poisend with the alpha particle polonium 210 and subsequently died of [radiation poisoning].