- #1
jackle
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A long time ago, when I did my degree I was taught that Neutrons have a half life of (about 10 minutes?). I also remember that the elementry particle equation was:
N <-> P+e.
Now, a proton plus an electron could look a lot like a hydrogen atom and I also remember that the electron in a hydrogen atom at it's lowest allowed energy does a figure 8 through the nucleus with a node in it's centre. The proton has a small radius, I know, but it seems like the electron would occasionally be in the proton? I am also thinking of the energy being negotiable because of the HUP.
Now I am probably sounding confused.
The question I would like to ask is:
Is there a probability (perhaps a very small one) that a hydrogen atom can decay into a neutron? Why/Why not?
N <-> P+e.
Now, a proton plus an electron could look a lot like a hydrogen atom and I also remember that the electron in a hydrogen atom at it's lowest allowed energy does a figure 8 through the nucleus with a node in it's centre. The proton has a small radius, I know, but it seems like the electron would occasionally be in the proton? I am also thinking of the energy being negotiable because of the HUP.
Now I am probably sounding confused.
The question I would like to ask is:
Is there a probability (perhaps a very small one) that a hydrogen atom can decay into a neutron? Why/Why not?