Neutron
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Template:TOC-right A neutron is an elementary particle that normally is part of the nucleus of a chemical element. When not bound to a neutron, it can have important physical, chemical, and biological[1] effects.
The mass mn of a neutron[2] is close to, but not equal to, the mass of a proton:
- mn = 1.674 927 211 × 10−27 kg .
History
The existence of the neutron was discovered, in 1932, by Sir James Chadwick, who received the 1935 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work. A repeatable experimental demonstration of the existence of the neutron solved a number of then-outstanding problems in physics, although the applications and significance of neutrons were in their infancy.[3]
Role in the nucleus
Health effects
From the biological standpoint, neutrons are indirectly ionizing. [1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 World Health Organization, Ionizing Radiation
- ↑ Value retrieved from NIST on October 1, 2008
- ↑ Colwell, Catharine H., Famous Experiments: The Discovery of the Neutron, PhysicsLab