What is a neutron? What are its structure, properties and functions? Neutrons are the largest of the particles that make up the atoms, which are the building blocks of all matter.
Atom structure
Neutrons are in the nucleus - a dense region of the atom, also filled with protons (positively charged particles). These two elements are held together by a force called nuclear. Neutrons have a neutral charge. The positive charge of the proton is compared with the negative charge of the electron to create a neutral atom. Despite the fact that the neutrons in the nucleus do not affect the atomic charge, they still have many properties that affect the atom, including the level of radioactivity.
Neutrons, isotopes and radioactivity
The particle that is in the nucleus of an atom - the neutron is 0.2% larger than the proton. Together they make up 99.99% of the total atomic mass . Atoms of the same element can have a different number of neutrons. When scientists refer to atomic mass, they mean the average atomic mass. For example, carbon usually has 6 neutrons and 6 protons with an atomic mass of 12, but sometimes it occurs with an atomic mass of 13 (6 protons and 7 neutrons). Carbon with atomic number 14 also exists, but is rare. So, the atomic mass for carbon is averaged to 12.011.
When atoms have a different number of neutrons, they are called isotopes. Scientists have found ways to add these particles to the nucleus to create large isotopes. Now the addition of neutrons does not affect the charge of the atom, since they have no charge. However, they increase the radioactivity of the atom. This can lead to very unstable atoms that can discharge high energy levels.
What is a core?
In chemistry, the nucleus is a positively charged center of the atom, which consists of protons and neutrons. The word "kernel" comes from the Latin nucleus, which is a form of the word meaning "nut" or "kernel". This term was coined in 1844 by Michael Faraday to describe the center of an atom. The sciences involved in the study of the nucleus, the study of its composition and characteristics, are called nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry.
Protons and neutrons are held by a strong nuclear force. Electrons are attracted to the nucleus, but move so fast that their rotation occurs at a certain distance from the center of the atom. The nuclear charge with a plus sign comes from protons, but what is a neutron? This is a particle that does not have an electric charge. Almost the entire weight of an atom is contained in the nucleus, since protons and neutrons have a much larger mass than electrons. The number of protons in an atomic nucleus determines its identity as an atom of a specific element. The number of neutrons means which isotope of the element is an atom.
Atomic nucleus size
The nucleus is much smaller than the total diameter of the atom, because electrons can be distant from the center. The hydrogen atom is 145,000 times larger than its core, and the uranium atom is 23,000 times larger than its center. The hydrogen nucleus is the smallest because it consists of a single proton.
Arrangement of protons and neutrons in the nucleus
Proton and neutrons are usually depicted as being packed together and evenly distributed over spheres. However, this is a simplification of the actual structure. Each nucleon (proton or neutron) can occupy a certain energy level and range of locations. While the core can be spherical, it can also be pear-shaped, spherical or disk-shaped.
The nuclei of protons and neutrons are baryons, consisting of the smallest subatomic particles called quarks. The force of gravity has a very short range, so protons and neutrons must be very close to each other in order to be bound. This strong attraction overcomes the natural repulsion of charged protons.
Proton, neutron and electron
A powerful impetus in the development of a science such as nuclear physics was the discovery of the neutron (1932). Thanks for this follows the English physicist D. Chadwick, who was a student of Rutherford. What is a neutron? This is an unstable particle, which in a free state in just 15 minutes is capable of decaying into a proton, electron and neutrino, the so-called massless neutral particle.
The particle got its name due to the fact that it does not have an electric charge, it is neutral. Neutrons are extremely dense. In an isolated state, one neutron will have a mass of only 1.67 · 10 - 27 , and if you take a teaspoon tightly packed with neutrons, the resulting piece of matter will weigh millions of tons.
The number of protons in the nucleus of an element is called the atomic number. This number gives each element its own unique identity. In the atoms of some elements, such as carbon, the number of protons in the nuclei is always the same, but the number of neutrons can vary. The atom of a given element with a certain number of neutrons in the nucleus is called an isotope.
Are single neutrons dangerous?
What is a neutron? This is a particle that, along with the proton, is part of the atomic nucleus. However, sometimes they can exist on their own. When neutrons are outside the nuclei of atoms, they acquire potentially dangerous properties. When they move at high speed, they produce deadly radiation. The so-called neutron bombs, known for their ability to kill people and animals, have a minimal impact on inanimate physical structures.
Neutrons are a very important part of an atom. The high density of these particles, combined with their speed, gives them extraordinary destructive force and energy. As a result, they can change or even tear apart into a part of the nucleus the atoms that hit. Although the neutron has a pure neutral electric charge, it consists of charged components that cancel each other relative to the charge.
The neutron in an atom is a tiny particle. Like protons, they are too small to see them even with an electron microscope, but they are there because this is the only way to explain the behavior of atoms. Neutrons are very important for ensuring the stability of an atom, but outside its atomic center they cannot exist for a long time and decay on average in only 885 seconds (about 15 minutes).