
The Neutron
In Our Time: Science
00:00
The Neutron and the Carry-On
The proton is one part in a thousand or so lighter than a neutron, which means by Einstein's famous E equals MC squared. The natural tendency is for neutrons to end up as protons. If the neutron, however, had been lighter then the tendency would have been for the proton to run down here and let it be a neutron. So we're here as a result of this one in a thousand chance, among other things. It's curious and curious, doesn't it? It started things.
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