newb question about the neutron

[rakuenso]

basically wtf is it? it has a mass, but not a charge..

 

usually masses without charges have an equal # of protons and electrons... but a neutron is a neutron.... ie what will happen if you bring an electron close a neutron? also.. protons and electron exhibit particle-wave duality, does the same apply to a neutron?

[timo]

basically wtf is it [the neutron']?

It´s a bound state of elementary particles called "quarks". Neutrons are part of every atom´s nucleus (except for nomal hydrogen). Without their presence, nuclei wouldn´t be stable.

 

it has a mass, but not a charge..

usually masses without charges have an equal # of protons and electrons... but a neutron is a neutron....

The "usually masses without charges have an equal number of protons and electrons"-part is true for structures the size of an atom or greater. Particles like the proton and the electron are only about 1/100000 the size of a typical atomic diameter. At those scales, there are a lot of particles which are not as widely known as the "classics" proton, electron and neutron. They are -just like the proton and the neutron- bound states of above-mentioned quarks. The quarks do have electric charge and the charge of the bound state will depend on which quarks you combine (ie. the neutron-combination gives charge 0).

Besides those bound-quark states, there´s also elementary particles being massive and neutral. The Z-Boson, for example, outweights the neutron by a factor 100 and is neutral, too.

 

Summary: Your statement above is true for size-scales greater or equal than those used in chemistry (-> atomic scale). Below, things become quite different.

 

also.. protons and electron exhibit particle-wave duality, does the same apply to a neutron?

Yes.