Neutrón

Neutrón

The neutron is a subatomic particle with no net electric charge and a mass slightly greater than that of the proton. It is found in the nucleus of every atom except for hydrogen-1. Neutrons, along with protons, are classified as baryons and are considered to be nucleons.

The existence of the neutron was first proposed by Ernest Rutherford in 1920. Its discovery is credited to James Chadwick in 1932. Neutrons are fundamental components of atomic nuclei, contributing to the mass of the atom. The number of neutrons in an atom's nucleus determines its isotope. For example, carbon-12 has six protons and six neutrons, while carbon-14 has six protons and eight neutrons.

In the nucleus, neutrons play a crucial role in binding protons together through the strong nuclear force, overcoming the electrostatic repulsion between positively charged protons. Free neutrons, meaning those not bound within an atomic nucleus, are unstable. They undergo beta decay with a half-life of about 10 minutes, transforming into a proton, an electron, and an electron antineutrino.

Neutrons have no electric charge, which allows them to penetrate matter more easily than charged particles. This property makes them useful in various applications, including nuclear reactors for energy generation and neutron scattering techniques for studying the structure of materials. The absence of charge also means they are not deflected by electric or magnetic fields in the same way protons or electrons are.