Definition of neutron

The word "neutron" was coined in 1932 by the British physicist James Chadwick, who first discovered the existence of these subatomic particles. Chadwick realized that some unknown particles were responsible for the majority of the mass in the nucleus of an atom, as the previously known protons couldn't account for it. Chadwick conducted experiments with beryllium and aluminum, bombarding them with alpha particles (helium nuclei) and observing the resulting particles that were produced. He found that one of the new particles, which had a similar mass to the proton but no electrical charge, was responsible for the greater part of the mass in the nucleus. This unexcited particle was named the neutron, as it was neither negatively charged like electrons nor positively charged like protons. Interestingly, Chadwick did not win the Nobel Prize for his discovery - it went to collaborators Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann, who had made earlier discoveries in the field of nuclear physics. Chadwick received the Nobel Prize three years later, in 1935, for his discovery of the neutron. The discovery of the neutron led to major breakthroughs in the field of nuclear physics and made it possible to understand and manipulate the structure of the atom in new and remarkable ways. The knowledge of neutrons and their properties is still heavily studied today, contributing to fields such as nuclear engineering, medical research, and materials science.