Neutron-Neutron particles? (1 Viewer)

[JBlayden]

I read that the strong nuclear force is effective between
-protons and protons
-protons and neutrons and
-neutrons and neutrons

So why aren't there nucleii made entirely of neutrons, or just two neutrons by themselves? There is no electrostatic forces holding them apart, so the strong force should easily hold them together. My physics teacher thinks the weak force might be responsible for stopping them from 'bonding' but I don't know exactly what the weak force is and it's not explained in the syllabus very well. Can someone tell me why neutron-neutron 'particles' form and whether the weak force is responsible?

 

[alcalder]

Certainly a very interesting question you have proposed.

From a quick look around the place I can only say the following:

- The nucleus of an atom is only stable when there is a particular proton:neutron ratio. Otherwise there will be radioactive decay until a stable nucleus is reached.
- The neutron outside the nucleus is very unstable and undergoes beta decay quickly.
- Neutrons do not interact with matter due to their lack of charge and continue on unheeded until they collide with an's atom's nucleus. This does not mean they combine with the nucleus, rather, they break it apart.

I can only imagine that the combining of neutrons alone is unstable and therefore these things just don't exist long enough, if they ever exist at all. Remember, we can't really detect neutrons, just the effects of them. They can't accelerate these things either to send them into accelerators (no charge). So, we have 1 proton that can exist alone - that's hydrogen, but if we want to put two neutrons together, we need to have two protons there are as well (and that's helium or an alpha particle).

The weak nuclear force - or better named the weak interaction - is explained better here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_nuclear_force

However, to better understand these "forces" we need to reconceptualise our thinking of them. These are interactions between particles on a subatomic level (supposedly). The Bosons (not to be confused with bogons) are the particles that "transfer" the interaction or force. They have found bosons for all forces bar one. They are still to find the boson responsible for gravity (ie the graviton - even though they have seen it in Star Trek ).

Therefore, the weak nuclear force is an interaction of bosons which ultimately results in some forms of nuclear radioactive decay. Hope that helps.