Comments about "Neutron" in Wikipedia

This document contains comments about the article Neutron in Wikipedia
In the last paragraph I explain my own opinion.

Contents

Reflection

Introduction

The article starts with the following sentence.

1. Neutrons in an atomic nucleus

1.1 Nuclear energy

1.2 Beta decay

Neutrons and protons within a nucleus behave similarly and can exchange their identities by similar reactions. These reactions are a form of radioactive decay known as beta decay. Beta decay, in which neutrons decay to protons, or vice versa, is governed by the weak force, and it requires the emission or absorption of electrons and neutrinos, or their antiparticles. The neutron and proton decay reactions are: n0 → p+ + e− + νe
where p+, e−, and νe denote the proton, electron and electron anti-neutrino decay products,[18] and p+ → n0 + e+ + νe
where n0, e, and νe denote the neutron, positron and electron neutrino decay products.
The wording vice versa requires more detail.
The electron and positron produced in these reactions are historically known as beta particles, denoted β− or β+ respectively, lending the name to the decay process. In these reactions, the original particle is not composed of the product particles; rather, the product particles are created at the instant of the reaction. 
A better description is: The produced particles are created from the original particles at the instant, or during the reaction.
This is true for all reactions . This also the case when the produced particles are correlated or are considered entangled.

2. The "free" neutron

3. Neutrons and protons bound in a nucleus

4. The neutron in elementary particle physics - the Standard Model

Within the theoretical framework of the Standard Model for particle physics, a neutron comprises two down quarks with charge -1/3e and one up quark with charge +2/3e
No issue
The only possible decay mode for the neutron that conserves baryon number is for one of the neutron's quarks to change flavour via the weak interaction. The decay of one of the neutron's down quarks into a lighter up quark can be achieved by the emission of a W boson. By this process, the Standard Model description of beta decay, the neutron decays into a proton (which contains one down and two up quarks), an electron, and an electron antineutrino.
The top picture on the right side shows a 2D picture of this decay, showing the evolution in time. In reality this reaction is more complex. At each instant of time the particles involved should be shown in 3D. For example the trajectories of the three quarks can be more complex in space.
The decay of the proton to a neutron occurs similarly through the weak force. The decay of one of the proton's up quarks into a down quark can be achieved by the emission of a W boson. The proton decays into a neutron, a positron, and an electron neutrino. This reaction can only occur within an atomic nucleus which has a quantum state at lower energy available for the created neutron.
The top picture on the right side shows a 2D picture of this decay, showing the evolution in time. In reality this reaction is more complex. At each instant of time the particles involved should be shown in 3D. For example the trajectories of the three quarks can be more complex in space.

5. Discovery

6. Properties

7. Neutron compounds

8. Detection

9. Sources and production

10. Applications

11. Medical therapies

12. Protection

13. Neutron temperature

14. See also

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Created: 3 September 2024

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