neutron

[noo-tron, nyoo-] /ˈnu trɒn, ˈnyu-/
noun, Physics.
1.
an elementary particle having no charge, mass slightly greater than that of a proton, and spin of ½: a constituent of the nuclei of all atoms except those of hydrogen. Symbol: n.
Origin
1920-25; neutr(o)- + -on1
Examples from the web for neutron
  • The mysterious source of this antimatter has now been discovered -- stars getting ripped apart by neutron stars and black holes.
  • If this is designed for neutron protection, it is poorly done.
  • The object may well be a superdense neutron star, as predicted by theory,
  • In this case, one neutron in the nucleus breaks apart.
  • There were no signs of nuclear processes, specifically of any neutron activity.
  • After the supernova, the leftover matter could either have collapsed into a black hole or an extremely dense neutron star.
  • The highest known magic number for neutrons alone is 126,
  • It is later found to be a neutron star-a tiny, extremely dense star.
  • They would form helium and a subatomic particle, called a neutron.
  • Boric acid is a strong neutron absorber which will help prevent the nuclear fuel from overheating.
British Dictionary definitions for neutron

neutron

/ˈnjuːtrɒn/
noun
1.
(physics) a neutral elementary particle with a rest mass of 1.674 92716 × 10–27 kilogram and spin 1/2; classified as a baryon. In the nucleus of an atom it is stable, but when free it decays
Word Origin
C20: from neutral, on the model of electron
Word Origin and History for neutron
n.

"electrically neuter particle of the atom," 1921, coined by U.S. chemist William D. Harkins (1873-1951) from neutral (adj.) + -on. First record of neutron bomb is from 1960. Neutron star attested from 1934, originally hypothetical; so called because it would be composed of neutrons.

neutron in Medicine

neutron neu·tron (nōō'trŏn', nyōō'-)
n.
An electrically neutral subatomic particle in the baryon family, having a mass 1,839 times that of the electron, stable when bound in an atomic nucleus, and having a mean lifetime of approximately 1.0×103 seconds as a free particle. It and the proton form nearly the entire mass of atomic nuclei.

neutron in Science
neutron
  (n'trŏn')   
An electrically neutral subatomic particle in the baryon family, having a mass of 1.674 × 10-24 grams (1,838 times that of the electron and slightly greater than that of the proton). Neutrons are part of the nucleus of all atoms, except hydrogen, and have a mean lifetime of approximately 1.0×103 seconds as free particles. They consist of a triplet of quarks, including two down quarks and one up quark, bound together by gluons. In radioactive atoms, excess neutrons are converted to protons by beta decay. Beams of neutrons from nuclear reactors are used to bombard the atoms of various elements to produce fission and other nuclear reactions and to determine the atomic arrangements in molecules. See Table at subatomic particle.
neutron in Culture

neutron definition


An elementary particle without an electrical charge; one of the building blocks of the nucleus of the atom. A neutron has about the same mass as a proton.