Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: myriam on 09/09/2010 13:44:30

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: myriam on 09/09/2010 13:44:30

how can an atom waste an neutron

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: JP on 09/09/2010 14:55:57

It might be helpful if you explained your question in more detail--what does "waste" mean?

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: myriam on 09/09/2010 17:54:02

I mean is there any way to make an atome waste a neutron by force

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: rosy on 09/09/2010 17:57:14

Sorry, Myriam, I think this a problem with your use of english.. you are not making yourself clear.

Do you mean is there a way to make a nucleus lose a neutron? Or something else?

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: yor_on on 09/09/2010 18:27:31

waste= can mean kill or destroy in American slang, is that what you meant? It can also mean 'Get rid of' as Rosy thought. Myself I find WordWeb dictionary invaluable. (http://download.cnet.com/WordWeb/3000-2279_4-10003201.html?part=dl-WordWeb&subj=dl&tag=button) when trying to decide what people mean at times. Download it, it's absolutely free and very useful..

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: CPT ArkAngel on 10/09/2010 03:24:01

and neutron bombs...

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: myriam on 10/09/2010 19:51:28

Quote from: syhprum on 09/09/2010 19:57:32

Can I take a guess as to what you have in mind, is there any way in which a nucleus can be made to shed some of it Neutron's ?.
It is certainly possible the best example is the isotope U235 of Uranium, when bombarded with relatively slow moving Neutrons it will be induced to split into two roughly equal parts with the emission of two or three Neutrons.
This of course the basis of both the atom bomb and the nuclear power station.

when kept on a closed box , prived from oxygen a uranium rock  can give Hydrogen !

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: yor_on on 12/09/2010 03:54:58

 Uranium hydride? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_hydride) "Uranium metal heated to 250 to 300 °C (482 to 572 °F) reacts with hydrogen to form uranium hydride. Even higher temperatures will reversibly remove the hydrogen." Or was it something else you meant?

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: Bored chemist on 12/09/2010 09:13:01

Uranium slowly decays and gives helium (among other things).

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: yor_on on 12/09/2010 23:24:26

Can't find the process? Does it really do that?
Any type of natural uranium?

This is about the only stuff I found.

Tritium exists as a natural product, Or produced in heavy water-moderated reactors whenever a deuterium nucleus captures a neutron from uranium-235, plutonium-239, and uranium-233, with a production of about one per each 10,000 fissions. Naturally-occurring tritium is extremely rare on the Earth, where trace amounts are formed by the interaction of the atmosphere with cosmic rays.

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: Bored chemist on 14/09/2010 06:56:29

Yor_on,
The process is called alpha emission; it's pretty much all uranium that does unless you put it in a reactor.

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 14/09/2010 08:56:17

The destruction (waste) or breakdown of a neutron occurs via the weak interaction.  Isolated neutrons are not stable and will break down to give a proton an electron and a neutrino with a half life of around 15 minutes.  Neutrons bound in atoms are in general stable but in some atoms with an excess of neutrons this tendency for a neutron to decay can show itself.  An atom can also absorb a neutron and turn into an atom with an excess of neutrons which can then decay by this route.

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: syhprum on 14/09/2010 13:39:51

A very minor correction surely an anti neutrino

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/particles/proton.html

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 14/09/2010 23:04:09

True, but I was not going into it in that much detail!

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: myriam on 15/09/2010 13:26:09

Quote from: syhprum on 14/09/2010 13:39:51

A very minor correction surely an anti neutrino

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/particles/proton.html

thx

Title: how can an atom waste an neutron?
Post by: yor_on on 16/09/2010 11:10:42

Sweet :)