In: Physics
Unlike the neutron the (charged) proton has an extra 2 MeVc^-2 (roughly) associated with its electrical energy. This extra energy should make it heavier than the neutron...so why is the
neutron heavier than the proton?
Context : nuclear physics
Pls show full working and thank you.
A neutron is a neutral particle which have equal positive and negative charge.
When we remove an electron from neutron then only positive charge remains on it , and due to this charge it has self electrical energy of 2 MeV.
This is not possible to convert a neutron to proton by adding positive charge because smallest positive charge is proton itself which is made by removing a electron from a neutron.
So a proton is always lighter than a neutron by the mass of a electron.
It is not possible to convert a proton to neutron by removing positive charge.
We have to add a electron to proton to convert it into neutron.