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Sourabh N
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Can we have a nucleus containing neutrons alone?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
You are correct. The ultimate reason why there is no such thing as a neutronic nucleus is that neutrons would turn into protons, which are lighter.lpfr said:I think that if there are such states, they are not stable. Even a single neutron outside a nucleus is not stable.
Because the neutron itself is heavier than the sum of the rest masses of the proton, the electron (and the (anti-)neutrino). Now of course, you could insist "but why is it heavier ?", since this is the true reason for the instability. Should I take the risk of going into the inifinite chain of whys ?Sourabh N said:can u explain me why a neutron is so unstable outside nucleus?
You know, it is actually a very difficult (and thus interesting) question when you think about it. I'll let you figure out the numbers exactly, but the difference of rest mass between the proton and the neutron is about 1.3 MeV. The rest mass of the (anti-)neutrino is negligible, and the rest mass of the electron is about 0.5 MeV. If you think in terms of quark masses, [tex]m_d-m_u[/tex] could be amywhere between 0 and 7 MeV (or even -3 to 13 MeV...). It is remarquable that, although quark masses are so small compared to nucleons masses (about 1 GeV compared to a few MeV) the difference of the mass are not that off. Those considerations are the basis for chiral symmetry, and isospin (flavor) symmetries, which are historically of uttermost importance in the establishment of QCD.Sourabh N said:No. I think that's enough.
A nucleus with only neutrons is known as a neutron-rich nucleus. This means that the number of neutrons in the nucleus is greater than the number of protons. This type of nucleus is typically found in heavier elements.
A nucleus with only neutrons can greatly affect the stability of an atom. Neutrons help to hold the nucleus together through the strong nuclear force. Without enough neutrons, the nucleus can become unstable and undergo radioactive decay.
Yes, a nucleus with only neutrons, also known as a neutron star, can exist in nature. These extremely dense stars are created when a massive star collapses and all of its protons and electrons combine to form neutrons. Neutron stars are believed to be the densest objects in the universe.
The number of neutrons in a nucleus can greatly affect its properties. As the number of neutrons increases, the nucleus becomes more unstable and can undergo radioactive decay. Additionally, the number of neutrons can affect the nucleus's mass, density, and other physical properties.
Yes, a nucleus with only neutrons can be artificially created in a laboratory. This is typically done by bombarding a target nucleus with a high-energy particle, such as a neutron or proton. This process is known as nuclear transmutation and is used in various fields of research, including nuclear physics and medicine.