Electron capture is a type of radioactive decay where the nucleus of an atom absorbs a K or L shell electron and converts a proton into a neutron. This process reduces the atomic number by 1 and emits gamma radiation or an x-ray and a neutrino.
The decay scheme for electron capture is:
ZXA + e- → ZYA-1 + ν + γ
where
Z is the atomic mass
A is atomic number
X is the parent element
Y is daughter element
e- is an electron
ν is a neutrino
γ is a gamma photon
Also Known As: EC, K-capture (if K shell electron is captured), L-capture (if L shell electron is captured)
Example
Nitrogen-13 decays to Carbon-13 by electron capture.
13N7 + e- → 13C6 + ν + γ
History
Gian-Carlo Wick proposed the theory of electron capture in 1934. Luis Alvarez was the first to observe K-electron capture in the isotope vanadium-48. Alvarez reported his observation in Physical Review in 1937.