neutron

[ noo-tron, nyoo- ]

/ ˈnu trɒn, ˈnyu- /

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noun Physics.

an elementary particle having no charge, mass slightly greater than that of a proton, and spin of ½: a constituent of the nuclei of all atoms except those of hydrogen. Symbol: n

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Origin of neutron

First recorded in 1920–25; neutr(o)- + -on¹

Words nearby neutron

neutretto, neutrino, neutrino astronomy, neutro-, neutrois, neutron, neutron bomb, neutron gun, neutron moderator, neutron number, neutron poison

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use neutron in a sentence

Over the following years, the neutron star and its companion appeared to be getting closer together by the distance that would be expected if they were losing energy to gravitational waves.
Einstein’s theory of general relativity unveiled a dynamic and bizarre cosmos|Elizabeth Quill|February 3, 2021|Science News
Later, Rutherford demonstrated the transmutation of one element to another and predicted the existence of a new subatomic particle, the neutron.
Top 10 science anniversaries to celebrate in 2021|Tom Siegfried|February 3, 2021|Science News
The different “kinds” of carbon are categorized by how much they weigh — some atoms have more neutrons than others, meaning they quite literally weigh more.
Environment Report: How We Know Humans Are Warming the Planet|MacKenzie Elmer|January 4, 2021|Voice of San Diego
That light was 10 times as bright as infrared light seen in previous neutron star mergers.
Astronomers spotted colliding neutron stars that may have formed a magnetar|Lisa Grossman|December 1, 2020|Science News

Researchers compared rubidium atoms of two different isotopes, atoms that contain different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
Galileo’s famous gravity experiment holds up, even with individual atoms|Emily Conover|October 28, 2020|Science News
Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen containing a proton and neutron in its nucleus, while normal hydrogen has only a proton.
Are Comets the Origin of Earth’s Oceans?|Matthew R. Francis|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You have the atom, which has the neutron, the electron, the proton.
‘Crazy’ Harlem Pastor Hates on Obama and Gays|Olivia Nuzzi|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While every neutron star has an intense magnetic field, the ones known as magnetars are exceptional.
The Weirdest Object in the Universe|Matthew R. Francis|May 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For that reason, such objects are called pulsars, and they have provided our best data about neutron stars.
The Weirdest Object in the Universe|Matthew R. Francis|May 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The pulses are from a beam of light produced by the intense magnetic field, which sweeps across Earth as the neutron star rotates.
The Weirdest Object in the Universe|Matthew R. Francis|May 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The actual limit is when the star has reached the density of a neutron, and this star hasn't collapsed that far by a long shot.
Islands of Space|John W Campbell
A neutron moderator slows down the neutrons and thus makes them more likely to activate the calcium in the bones.
The Atomic Fingerprint|Bernard Keisch
Each extra neutron produces two and your production rate soars geometrically towards bang.
The K-Factor|Harry Harrison (AKA Henry Maxwell Dempsey)
The handcuffs fell from the "prisoner's" wrists; he jerked a neutron-disruption blaster from under his jacket.
Time Crime|H. Beam Piper
As he watched, the air around it fairly sizzled blue with the rays of neutron disruption blasters, and then it blew apart.
Time Crime|H. Beam Piper

British Dictionary definitions for neutron

neutron

/ (ˈnjuːtrɒn) /

noun

physics a neutral elementary particle with a rest mass of 1.674 92716 × 10 –27 kilogram and spin 1/2; classified as a baryon. In the nucleus of an atom it is stable, but when free it decays

Word Origin for neutron

C20: from neutral, on the model of electron

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for neutron

neutron

[ nōō′trŏn′ ]

An electrically neutral subatomic particle in the baryon family, having a mass of 1.674 X 10-24 grams (1,838 times that of the electron and slightly greater than that of the proton). Neutrons are part of the nucleus of all atoms, except hydrogen, and have a mean lifetime of approximately 1.0X103 seconds as free particles. They consist of a triplet of quarks, including two down quarks and one up quark, bound together by gluons. In radioactive atoms, excess neutrons are converted to protons by beta decay. Beams of neutrons from nuclear reactors are used to bombard the atoms of various elements to produce fission and other nuclear reactions and to determine the atomic arrangements in molecules. See Table at subatomic particle.

Cultural definitions for neutron

neutron

An elementary particle without an electrical charge; one of the building blocks of the nucleus of the atom. A neutron has about the same mass as a proton.