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Questions tagged [neutrons]

The neutron is a subatomic particle, with no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. It is a fermion of spin $\frac 1 2$; a hadron, that is it interacts strongly; and a nucleon, that is a crucial component of atomic nuclei.

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 ...
Andrew Steane's user avatar
-3 votes
3 answers
79 views

Do electrons define the element? [closed]

In a nuclear reaction, protons and neutrons are exchanged and the resulting elements have a number of different protons and neutrons that uniquely define the element that we are studying. However, can ...
vengaq's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
148 views

How is the Neutron capture cross section of Xenon-135 so high?

Xenon-135 has a Neutron capture cross section of 2-3 million barns, this is equivalent in area to a disk with a radius of 8-10pm. The cross sectional area of a Uranium nucleus is roughly 1 barn. The ...
blademan9999's user avatar
  • 2,908
0 votes
0 answers
29 views

Potential yields of Np-237 using a synchotron

U238 releases a neutron when it is exposed to photons of around 11 MeV, and the resulting U237 promptly decays into the fissile Np237. In such a situation, what equations can I use to relate the ...
Young Jun Lee's user avatar
-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 ...
Anshul Sharma's user avatar
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
1 answer
243 views

Why the Fermi's energies of the proton, neutron and electron are related in this way in a neutron star?

I'm referring to this answer made by ProfRob about why neutrons are stable against beta decay in neutron stars. I've partially understood the answer: when the Fermi's momentum of the electron $p_f = (...
nervousdog's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
31 views

Refractive index of EM waves travelling though a gas of neutral particles

From what I have read and seen online. The explanation of why there is a net reduction in the speed of EM waves through a medium is due to the interference with the oscillating EM fields produced by ...
Jacob Daniels's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
30 views

In a fission reaction mass is converted to energy my students are asking where the mass is taken from - do the nucleons have less mass afterwards? [duplicate]

I am teaching year 11 Physics for the first time. In a fission reaction mass is converted to energy my students are asking where the mass is taken from - do the nucleons have less mass afterwards?
Diatom's user avatar
  • 1
-3 votes
1 answer
114 views

Spallation neutron sources + wakefield particle accelerator + U-238 for generation of Pu-239 [closed]

I am looking to combine the principles of spallation neutron sources, wakefield particle accelerators, and neutron absorption to enable anybody to create large amounts of plutonium using relatively ...
Young Jun Lee's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
58 views

Can Neutron Activation Analysis differ isotopes?

I know to carry out an NAA analysis, the specimen is placed into a suitable irradiation facility and bombarded with neutrons. This creates artificial radioisotopes of the elements present. Following ...
Carinha logo ali's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
141 views

Is it possible to collide two neutrons? [closed]

If it is possible to collide two neutrons, how is it so? What particle accelerator or pre-collision processes are necessary and what results can be expected? If the products of neutron-neutron ...
Ayman Fayaz's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
987 views

Is an electron more stable than a proton/neutron?

Is an electron more stable than a proton/neutron under extreme temperature/pressure conditions, like several 100 millions K?
Christian Speth's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
19 views

Stacking of magnetic moments in a polarised neutron beam

Neutrons are particles that have a half spin and a magnetic moment. if you polarise a beam of neutrons so that they all align with spin +1/2 will the combined neutron beam have an overall magnetic ...
Moiz khokhar's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
273 views

How electron, proton and neutron have mass numbers

As far as I know, the mass number of an atom means the amount of protons and neutrons it has. For example, the mass number of Sodium (Na) is 23 since it has 11 protons and 12 neutrons. Then how ...
Shaidozzaman Araf's user avatar

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