Question

What does gamma decay release?

Answer 1

Gamma rays (photons).

Explanation:

When a nucleus of an atom has too much energy, it can emit this energy in the form of a photon (electromagnetic radiation).

This photon, or gamma ray (`gamma`), has no mass and no charge, it is a wave such as a light wave but with a much shorter wavelength: < 0.01 nm (visible light is in the range of ~400-700 nm).

When a nucleus emits a photon, the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus remains the same. This is why it is called isomeric transition.

The general form of the equation for this decay is:

`""_Z^(Am)X -> ""_Z^AX + ""_0^0gamma`

in which `A` is the mass number of a certain nuclide `X` and `Z` the atomic number (number of protons). The `m` indicates that it is an isomere c.q. metastable state of nucllide `X`.