It is hard to answer this question precisely, because the large, radioactive nuclei are very complex structures, for which exact solutions of Schroedinger's equation cannot be obtained. Rather these things are usually studied via Hartree-Fock approximations.
However, in loose visual terms, you can think of a neutron as being in a superposition of states, some of which are an electron-proton pair separated by a substantial distance. If the electron finds itself too far from its partner proton, the weak force is too weak, and the electric force is shielded by the orbital electrons, so the electron escapes, becoming the beta ray. This explanation has left out an obvious factor - an anti-neutrino must also be created as part of the process. This is often explained as being required to preserve lepton number - but conservation of lepton number is a somewhat ad hoc law - I don't know the real physical reason why lepton number is conserved. Anyway, the point of randomness is that this is a quintessential quantum process, very closely related to the phenomenon of quantum tunneling. Unless there exists a hidden variable-type theory underlying QM (which basically appears to be ruled out by Bell+Aspect), the process must be completely random. Cheers On Tue, Apr 09, 2013 at 05:57:11AM -0700, Craig Weinberg wrote: > If any particle were truly identical to another, then they could not decay > at different rates. While we see this as "random" (aka spontaneous to our > eyes), there is nothing to say that the duration of the life of the > particle is not influenced by intentional dispositions. Particles may > represent different intensities of 'will to continue' or expectation of > persistence. In this sense, organic molecules could represent a Goldilocks > range of time-entangled panpsychism which is particularly flexible and > dynamic. Think of the lifetime of a molecular ensemble as the length of a > word in a sentence as it relates to the possibilities of meaning. Too long > and it becomes unwieldy, too brief and it becomes generic. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Everything List" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile) Principal, High Performance Coders Visiting Professor of Mathematics hpco...@hpcoders.com.au University of New South Wales http://www.hpcoders.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
