Slow neutrons have a speed of around 2.2 km/s (0.025 eV). They could be generated in a reactor and could lead, because of their much larger effective neutron absorption cross-section than quick neutrons, to neutron activation.

See also Neutron Activation, Neutron Activation Analysis, Neutron Capture and Neutron Radiation.

(K-capture) An unstable atom with too many protons in the nucleus, and not enough energy to emit a positron, reaches a stable state in the way, that one proton captured an electron from the atom's inner shell (K-shell) and change to a neutron. A neutrino is emitted from the atoms nucleus by this process. The atomic mass of the atom is unchanged, but the decreased number of protons transformed the atom to a different element.

A sample is placed into a concentrated beam of neutrons. Through neutron-capture heavier nuclei become frequently unstable. This artificial radiation decays with a characteristic half-live consisting of alpha- and beta-particles and gamma-rays.

See Neutron Activation Analysis

There are two kinds of beta decay: beta minus and beta plus decay. The differentiation depends on the charge of the emitted particle.
At the beta plus decay in the nucleus a proton changes to a neutron and emits a positron and a neutrino. The atom is after the decay a different element, but with the same number of particles in the nucleus.
At the beta minus decay in the nucleus a neutron changes to a proton and emits an electron and an antineutrino. As with the beta plus decay the atom changes to a different element but with the same number of particles in the nucleus.
Sometimes the electron capture is mentioned as a third kind of beta decay.
Beta decay is used for example in positron-electron tomography or in iodine-131 therapy.

See also Electron Capture.