Neutrons

Neutrons are subatomic particles with no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. They are one of the constituents of the nucleus of an atom along with protons. In addition, they play an important role in nuclear fission and fusion reactions.

Neutrons were first discovered by James Chadwick in 1932. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1935 for his discovery. The neutron is electrically neutral and has a mass about equal to that of a proton. It is unstable, decaying into a proton and an electron with a half-life of about 15 minutes.

The neutron plays an important role in nuclear fission reactions, which are used to generate electricity in nuclear power plants. In these reactions, neutrons split the nuclei of atoms such as uranium-235 into smaller fragments, releasing energy in the process. Neutrons also play a key role in nuclear fusion reactions, which occur in stars and provide them with their immense energy output.