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Discovery of the Neutron

A.R. Dyer, L. Hiller, J. Huang

Concept
The Neutron
A neutron is a subatomic particle which has no electrical charge and a mass of 939.5 MeV/c2, only slightly more than more than the proton. Atomic nuclei are made of protons and neutrons. Elements are defined by the atomic number which is the number of protons in the nucleus. Neutrons are necessary because protons are unable to bond to each other due to the strong force Bound neutrons are completely stable while free neutrons beta decay completely in less than 15 min. (3)

Discovery
Events Leading to Chadwicks Discovery
In 1920, Ernest Rutherford proposed the idea that there was a neutral particle in the neutron. In 1931, Walther Bothe and Herbert Becker in Germany produced an unusually penetrating radiation after emitting alpha particles on certain light elements. In 1932, Irne Curie and Frdric Joliot in Paris showed that if this radiation fell on any hydrogen containing compound, protons of very high energy would be ejected. Later in the same year, James Chadwick suggests the radiation came from uncharged particles that had a similar mass to protons and verified it through a series of In 1935, James experiments. Chadwick wins the Nobel prize for the discovery of the neutron.

Application
Neutron Scattering
Useful in investigating polymers in how they are assembled and bonded.

Prior to the discovery of the Neutron

(4),(5),(6)

Until the early 1900s, the atom used to be thought of as unified mass of electrons and protons which like raisins stuck on the surface of a lump of pudding. (5) negatively charged particles

In 1930, Viktor Ambartsu mian and Dmitri Ivanenko showed that the nucleus did not contain both protons and Ambartsumian and Ivanenkos Discovery electrons.

positively charged After a series of different experiments during the early 1900s, the image of an atom prior to 1932 was that of a tiny solar system comprised of two types of fundamental particlesthe electrically positive, massive proton and the negative, tiny electron. The sun was considered to be tightly packed protons jammed together like billiard balls orbited by the distant electrons under the influence of Coulomb forces, much like planet under the influence of gravity.

Engineering applications for determining the resilience of materials: increases in pressure, temperature and magnetic field. (1) Aid in the study of organic cellular processes. - how drugs are delivered into cell - how antibodies are structured. (1)

Nuclear Bomb
The discovery of neutrons led to the creation of atomic bombs. Neutrons are far more penetrating and can be fired into a nucleus without being repelled like a proton. (3)

Revisiting Bothe and Becker

Chadwick did not believe that gamma rays accounted for the protons coming from the paraffin wax. He went back the experiment done earlier by Bothe and Beckner and concluded that the reaction that knocked electrons from the beryllium target was:

Chadwicks Experiment
After gathering conclusive evidence that neutrons rather than gamma rays were emitted, he was able to solve for the mass of the neutron with the following by measuring the speed of protons.

Research in Development
Work with neutrons is currently being employed to unlock the potential of hydrogen energy because as of today we are not able to condense it to volumes suitable for practical vehicles. (3)

Citation
(8) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) http://www.iop.org/publications/iop/2011/file_47455.pdf http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000340 http://www-outreach.phy.cam.ac.uk/camphy/neutron/neutron7_1.htm (http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/history/rutherford.html) http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/particles/neutrondis.html (http://www.ivy-rose.co.uk/Chemistry/GCSE/What-is-a-neutron.php) http://www.whoawee.com/elearning/great_discoveries/famous_physics_discoveries/ http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/137605/enlarge

Neutron based studies of magnetism which include exploration of magnetoresistance and superconductivity are also a core issue because so little is known. These studies are encouraged by the race to find better materials for the electronics industry. (3)

TEMPLATE DESIGN 2008

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