Why was it more difficult to design an experiment that would prove the existence of neutrons than it was to design an experiment that would prove the existence of either protons or electrons?
2007-03-29 18:15:41 · 4 answers · asked by crazymonkey 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
neutrons have no charge, like electrons and protons, so they are harder to control or collect or direct.
2007-03-29 18:20:56 · answer #1 · answered by Justin H 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Neutrons have no charge and so cannot be deflected by electric fields. Actually I'm not sure you can deflect neutrons. Anyway, electric field works great for charged particles but not neutrons. Some other experiments were designed to expose neutrons. I bet somebody will post how they did it.
2007-03-29 18:32:53 · answer #2 · answered by Rich 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since neutrons are electrically neutral, their interaction with air or other gases to produce ionisation or to darken the photographic film was too weak to be used for detection, unlike electrons, protons and other ionising radiation.
The higher penetrating power of neutrons is also precisely due to this weak interaction with other nuclei.
2007-03-29 18:28:16 · answer #3 · answered by Swamy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Neutrons are chargeless.
2007-03-29 18:24:29 · answer #4 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋