All Questions
Tagged with neutrons weak-interaction
22
questions
-1
votes
1
answer
136
views
Is this Why a Neutron can Decay Into a Proton, Electron and Electron Antineutrino?
A neutron is udd, then an u-anti-u starts to exist close to the neutron. Then the one d and u change places forming an uud (proton) and anti-ud which decays to an electron and electron-antineutrino. ...
1
vote
0
answers
25
views
Improved estimate of density of free neutrons in solar core
In an answer to this question:
Free neutrons in the sun's core?
I made a very rough attempt to estimate the density of free neutrons in the solar core. There is some non-zero rate for production ...
-1
votes
1
answer
74
views
$\beta^{+}$ and $\beta^{-}$ decay processes
We know that electron cannot exist inside the nucleus for various reasons like its energy, angular momentum violation and etc. But these $\beta^{+}$ and $\beta^{-}$ processes occurs inside the nuclei ...
0
votes
0
answers
67
views
Has Anti-beta decay been observed?
I am looking for references or resources regarding the transition of an anti-neutron through weak decay, into an anti-proton, positron, and electron-neutrino.
Have such studies been conducted or ...
4
votes
3
answers
891
views
Do cold neutrons produce radioactive elements?
As far as I have understood neutron nuclear reactions, if a fast neutron gets captured by a nucleus, since the kinetic energy has to go somewhere, the newly formed nucleus is radioactive and must ...
1
vote
1
answer
145
views
What determines whether free neutron decay results in the production of a neutral hydrogen atom?
Free neutrons (outside the nucleus) are known to be highly unstable with a mean lifetime of around 14 minutes and 40 seconds. Inside the neutron, which is composed of 1 up quark and 2 down quarks, a ...
1
vote
1
answer
69
views
$W^-$ behavior in Neutron decay
Why does $W^-$ always decay into electron and anti-neutrino in neutron decay? Why doesn't the $W^-$ particle decay into quark-antiquark pair?
2
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How can neutron be converted to proton and electron?
Since a neutron and a proton are made up of quarks and an electron is a lepton, how can a neutron yield an electron?
1
vote
1
answer
114
views
Could anyone explain how energy and momentum are conserved when an isolated neutron decays into a beta-minus particle?
I am not able to get to a reasonable explanation as to how momentum and energy are conserved when an electron, a proton, and a neutrino are created.
4
votes
1
answer
612
views
Why is the Beta-Decay of a Neutron asymmetric?
The Wu-experiment, which originally showed the parity violation of Beta-Decay experimentally, is often used to give an intuitive explanation for the asymmetry of the decay:
$${}^{60}_{27}\text{Co} \...
2
votes
1
answer
141
views
What happens when we constantly observe a neutron?
The mechanism which we think neutrons decay is by the weak force. The interaction between the quarks of a neutron cause one of them to change their flavor to "up". Thus the neutron decays into a ...
1
vote
2
answers
168
views
Cold neutron radiative capture by proton
What is the mechanism of cold neutron radiative capture by proton? I have seen some experimental papers on studies of parity violation via this reaction, but I haven't seen a fundamental description ...
1
vote
1
answer
404
views
Why don't neutron stars transform into proton stars as a result of neutron beta decay? [duplicate]
Free neutrons, as we know them, are unstable and hence undergo a three-body decay into proton, electron and antineutrino with a mean lifetime of just under 15 minutes.
But there are astrophysical ...
3
votes
2
answers
863
views
How is an electron "recycled" in a neutron?
A proton is made up, they say, by 2 up and 1 down quark, drowned in a sea of virual paricles:
when an electron is captured
this process thereby changes a nuclear proton to a neutron and
...
0
votes
4
answers
563
views
Change in the half-life of a neutron
What would happen if the half-life of a neutron was much more less than it is now? How could this affect the nuclei?