A proton is a basic particle located in the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons in the nucleus governs the chemical properties of that element. The positive electrical charge is equal to the negative charge of an electron and the mass is similar to that of a neutron (see also baryon). The proton belongs to the group of hadrons and is composed out of three quarks.
A hydrogen (H1) nucleus is build of one proton.
Proton beam therapy is the preferred treatment for cancers near the eye and the spinal cord.

Radioactive decay is the change of instable atoms to a more stable state. This change to a different nuclide by the spontaneous emission of radiation such as alpha or beta particles, gamma rays, or by electron capture follows an element-specific decay chain. Each step in the decay chain has a definite half-life.
Sometimes also the reduction of excitation energy of the nucleus by e.g. internal conversion is mentioned as radioactive decay.

See also Decay Chain, Radioisotope.

Radiographic noise is a fluctuation in optical density on radiographic or mammographic images, often as a result of low radiation dose.

See also Electronic Noise.

[Rest Mass Energy] The term refers to the concept of mass-energy equivalence. Einstein proposed that the equivalence of mass and energy is a general principle.
E=mc²
E = energy,
m = mass,
c = the speed of light in a vacuum.
c² is the conversion factor required to convert from units of mass to units of energy.
The rest energy of an electron or a positron for example amounts to 0.511 MeV.

See also Photon, Photon Energy.

Computer and electronic data processing (EDP) programs are named software.

See also Hardware, Alpha Test and Beta Test.