← All parts of this equation

Equation 24 · Part 6 · The Valley of Stability Is a Fitness Landscape

Symbol β

M(A,Z) c2≈α(A)−β(A) Z+γ(A) Z2∓δ(A)M(A,Z)\,c^2 \approx \alpha(A) - \beta(A)\,Z + \gamma(A)\,Z^2 \mp \delta(A)
β\beta

What this part means

the sometimes purely.

Its job in the formula

β is a part of this expression. Its role is fixed by the surrounding article and by the operations shown in the formula.

Where the article explains it

A decay chain is a sequence of such steps, sometimes purely beta, more often threaded with alpha emissions that jump A downward by four and Z downward by two in a single move.

The passage around this formula

…terms in the semi-empirical mass formula are both approximately quadratic in Z at fixed A , the atomic mass along an isobaric chain is, to good approximation, a parabola in Z : M(A,Z) c2≈α(A)−β(A) Z+γ(A) Z2∓δ(A)M(A,Z)\,c^2 \approx \alpha(A) - \beta(A)\,Z + \gamma(A)\,Z^2 \mp \delta(A). where α\alpha , β\beta , and γ\gamma collect the volume, surface, Coulomb, and asymmetry contributions and the pairing term δ(A)\delta(A) shifts the curve up or down depending on whether N and Z are both even or both odd. For odd A , exactly one of N , Z is even and the pairing term vanishes, giving a single parabola…

Read this part in the article →

Learn the underlying idea

A function assigns an output to each allowed input. The expression f(x) means “apply f to x”.

Open the illustrated functions: inputs become outputs guide →

See this notation across published equations →

Sources cited in the surrounding passage

These citations provide research context; check each source for the exact claim it supports.