Nuclear Beta Decay (Parity, deta[L])

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on understanding parity change and calculating deta (L) for beta decay reactions. It emphasizes the use of the angular momentum addition theorem to determine allowed values for L, which are influenced by the parity changes in the decay process. For the first example, a parity change from 5/2+ to 1/2- indicates that only L=3 is permissible under a Fermi transition. The conversation also notes that if spins are parallel, the transition would be classified as Gamow-Teller, leading to a different set of allowed L values. The overall classification of the first decay is identified as a third forbidden pure Fermi transition.
qwerty2010
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I do not get the concepts of the parity change and how do I find the deta (l) for beta decay.
Please Help!

Classify the following decays according to their degree of forbiddenness, all ground states decays.

89Sr (5/2+) -> 89Y (1/2-)
26Al (5+) -> 26Mg (2+)
97Zr (1/2+) -> 97Nb (1/2-)

What are theirs change in parity and deta (L)?
How do you calculate it? Thanks again!
 
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Hey, I don't quite remember this but I'll try to explain how you do it for your first reaction.

At the beginning, you can find the allowed values for L ( the orbital angular momentum ) via the angular momentum addition theorem: L = { |J1-J2|,..,|J1+J2|} in integer steps.

As for the parity, for the 1st example you see that there is a change of parity: 5/2+ goes to 1/2-. This will have an effect on the allowed values of L. For parity to be conserved, you need to have:

parity(Sr) = parity(Y)*parity(L).

parity(L)= (-1)^L
Hence you can see that only L=3 works here.
While doing this, I have assumed a Fermi transition ( the electron & neutrino have opposite aligned spins ).

If they for example they have parallel aligned spins, the transition will be Gamow-Teller and for the allowed values of L you will get only 2 ( you subtract 1 from all the values you got for the allowed values of L you got from the addition theorem ).

So that's it I think. Your transition is 3rd forbidden pure Fermi.

Now try for the next two examples and see if it matches with your school work.
 
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