How come there are no neutron atoms?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of why stable atoms composed solely of neutrons do not exist. Participants explore the implications of neutron interactions, stability, and theoretical constructs related to neutron-only nuclei.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the strong nuclear force is a key factor preventing a stable nucleus of only neutrons, as neutrons cannot occupy the same energy level due to their identical spin.
  • Others mention that neutron stars can be viewed as a large collection of neutrons, but they require significant gravitational forces to maintain stability.
  • A participant references the concept of "neutronium," an element consisting solely of neutrons, suggesting that there are theoretical discussions surrounding this idea.
  • It is noted that free neutrons decay into a proton, an electron, and a neutrino, which raises questions about the stability of isolated neutrons.
  • One participant raises a hypothetical scenario regarding the chemistry of an uncharged nucleus and the differences between protons and neutrons in a world without electromagnetism, suggesting further reading on the quark model as a classification scheme.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints regarding the stability of neutron-only nuclei, with no consensus reached on the feasibility or implications of such entities.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about the nature of nuclear forces, the role of gravity in neutron star formation, and the speculative nature of neutronium as a concept.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in nuclear physics, theoretical models of atomic structure, and the interactions of fundamental particles may find this discussion relevant.

TheNerf
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Straight forward question. What would prevent the process of a giant lump of neutrons from forming a stable nucleus?
 
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The strong nuclear force
Because neutrons have the same spin they cannot occupy the same energy level, so a nucleus of just neutrons can't get into the lowest energy state and so isn't stable,

Neutron stars could be thought of as a single nucleus of just neutrons - but they need gravity (and a lot of it) to hold them together
 
Last edited:
There has been some talk about an element 0 - a nucleus with only neutrons. Wiki has some things to say on this neutronium element.
 
Stand alone neutrons decay into proton + electron + neutrino.
 
O.K,what sort of "atom" should we get from an uncharged nucleus?.What sort of chemistry would you expect?.Study the issue.Read Pais,"Inward Bound" and study the references at the chapter ends.Imagine a world with electromagnetism "switched-off",and then compare the proton/neutron.Are they different in such a world?,...,why is the quark-model such a good classification scheme?.Read Riordan "The Hunting Of The Quark".Study,...
 

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