Definition of neutron
: an uncharged elementary particle that has a mass nearly equal to that of the proton and is present in all known atomic nuclei except the hydrogen nucleus
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Recent Examples of neutron from the Web
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Besides the usual supplies, the 6,000-pound shipment includes mice and flies for research, a new kind of roll-up solar panel and a neutron star detector.
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Besides the usual supplies, the 6,000-pound shipment includes mice and flies for research, a new kind of roll-up solar panel and a neutron star detector.
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Besides the usual supplies, the 6,000-pound shipment includes mice and flies for research, a new kind of roll-up solar panel and a neutron star detector.
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Besides the usual NASA supplies, the 6,000-pound shipment includes mice and flies for research, a new kind of roll-up solar panel and a neutron star detector.
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The next big class of events would be binary neutron star mergers – in part because these events could be seen with both LIGO and traditional telescopes.
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The detectors were designed and built and rebuilt over 40 years to be able to detect collisions of neutron stars — the superdense remnants of some kinds of supernova explosions.
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A neutron star hurls particles out into space at near the speed of light, and many of these particles follow the star's magnetic field lines back to the surface, bombarding the star at the magnetic poles.
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The two teams made different assumptions about how hot the neutrons were to begin with, so their calculations for the temperature at which the superfluid state is possible are different.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'neutron'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of neutron
probably from neutral
First Known Use: 1921
NEUTRON Defined for English Language Learners
neutron
playDefinition of neutron for English Language Learners
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physics : a very small particle of matter that has no electrical charge and is part of the nucleus of all atoms except hydrogen atoms
NEUTRON Defined for Kids
neutron
playDefinition of neutron for Students
: a particle that has a mass nearly equal to that of the proton but no electrical charge and that is present in all atomic nuclei except those of hydrogen
Medical Dictionary
neutron
playMedical Definition of neutron
: an uncharged elementary particle that has a mass nearly equal to that of the proton and is present in all known atomic nuclei except the hydrogen nucleus
Learn More about neutron
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See words that rhyme with neutron Spanish Central: Translation of neutron Nglish: Translation of neutron for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about neutron
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