I had no idea you could turn a neutron into a proton.

[shortylickens]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_particle#.CE.B2.E2.88.92_decay_.28electron_emission.29


This is news to me.
And a little weird.

 

[piasabird]

Maybe you should be in highly technical?

 

[John Connor]

"I had no idea you could turn a neutron into a proton."

Me either.

 

[SKORPI0]

http://slideplayer.com/slide/8707160/

 

[Mark R]

This is news to me.
And a little weird.

Yup. It's why used nuclear fuel is radioactive.

Light nuclei have a lower ratio of neutrons to protons, than heavy nuclei. The heavy nuclei are less stable due to repulsion between the protons, so need more neutrons to bind them.

When you split a heavy nucleus into light nuclei in fission, the smaller fragments have way too many neutrons. These slowly transmute into protons, releasing beta radiation.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Yup. It's why used nuclear fuel is radioactive.

Light nuclei have a lower ratio of neutrons to protons, than heavy nuclei. The heavy nuclei are less stable due to repulsion between the protons, so need more neutrons to bind them.

When you split a heavy nucleus into light nuclei in fission, the smaller fragments have way too many neutrons. These slowly transmute into protons, releasing beta radiation.

Yup, and the conversion of the neutrons to protons or vice versa converts the element into another element (transmutation). It was really frustrating as a couple weeks back on the history channel there was a show about alchemy and they did this whole overview of alchemists and the discoveries they made, which was great. Then they started interviewing "modern day alchemists" asking questions like "Do you think you'll ever be able to convert other metals into gold?" "Yeah I think we'll find a way eventually!"

You idiots, we already know how! It involves nuclear reactions! You're not ever going to be able to transmute something using chemistry, that's nuclear physics and unless you have a particle accelerator it ain't happening!