Applications of Neutrons
Various applications of Neutrons are,
- Neutrons are highly ionised and penetrating particles that can be employed in boron capture therapy and medical applications. However, when absorbed, they activate the substance and make it radioactive.
- It is significant in nuclear reactions (understanding of the neutron’s behaviour, in particular, has aided in the creation of nuclear weapons and reactors).
- The neutron activation analysis (NAA) method is used to study a simple sample of materials in a nuclear reactor, and the neutron emitter is used to locate light nuclei in the environment.
- It is utilised in medical neutron tomography, but it has unfavorable side effects that leave the afflicted area radioactive, hence it is not frequently employed. The neutron lens was being developed at the time.
- It’s utilised in boron capture treatment, which uses a tiny neutron beam to treat cancer. The energy delivered to malignant regions by neutron radiation is orders of magnitude larger than that delivered by gamma radiation.
- Uranium-235 and plutonium-239 are virtually always utilised in nuclear fission reactors due to nucleus absorption.
- Warm, hot, and cold neutron applications are employed in nuclear scattering facilities where radiation is utilised to condensate matter in X-ray studies.
Neutrons
Neutrons are fundamental subatomic particles of the atom. An atom is made up of electrons, protons and neutrons. James Chadwick, an English physicist, discovered the neutron in 1932. Neutrons are particles with no charge and higher mass. They are represented by n. They reside inside the nucleus of the atom and along with protons they are called nucleons. Let’s learn about neutrons in detail in this article.
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