How do neutrons affect an atom?

Answer 1

Neutrons contribute to binding energy or nuclear glue in the nucleus that hold it together. Without neutrons, no binding energy. With no binding energy there will be no atoms bigger than hydrogen. See how it works? It's really that simple. The protons in the nucleus are positively charged. Like charges don't like each other and repel. That's basic electrostatics. But if we crush two or more protons together in the presence of a sufficient number of neutrons, all will bind together in a fusion reaction. The reaction will see all protons and neutrons involved undergoing what is called mass defecit. That's where all the would-be partners in the new nucleus shed a bit of mass that is converted into the binding energy or nuclear glue that holds the nucleus together. That's the long and short of it. A link is provided below.

Answer 2

Neutrons are particles in the nucleus of an atom which have slightly more mass than a proton. They contain neither a positive nor a negative charge.

Neutrons bind with the protons in the nucleus, and are stable there. If they are insufficient in number, or there are too many, they may cause the atom to be unstable and radioactive. When they are not bound into an atom, they do not last long, and have a half life of just a bit less than 15 minutes (886 seconds).

Answer 3

Neutrons contribute to the Atomic Mass of an atom. They do not affect the valency (combining power)of an atom. There are some elements that have the same proton number but they have different nucleon number because they have a different number of neutrons. These are called isotopes. An example is hydrogen which has three isotopes H-1(hydrogen)H-2(deuterium)and H-3(Tritium). Carbon also has 3 isotopes. C-12,C-13 and C-14. C-13 and C-14 are radioactive.

Answer 4

A very interesting question!

The addition of neutrons to atoms:


ALWAYS increases the mass of the atoms
NEVER alters the net nuclear electrical charge
SOMETIMES results in nuclear instability and radioactivity or spontaneous fission, whereas the atoms were stable prior to the addition.
NEVER alters the chemical properties of the element (unless followed by eventual transmutation due to fission or radiation). Atoms of gold, iodine, hydrogen, and the like are still gold, iodine, hydrogen etc following the addition of neutrons, though the resulting isotopes may be radioactive.

Answer 5

They stabilize the nucleus by contributing to the residual strong force; the residual strong force is responsible for holding the nucleus together. Protons and neutrons interact via the residual strong force, but protons are positively charged, which means that protons will repel one another. Neutrons are neutral and therefore are unaffected by this and only contribute the residual strong force, which counteracts the electromagnetic force that tries to push away protons.

Answer 6

neutrons in an atom provide neutrol charge to an atom.

Answer 7

Neutrons increase the atomic weight, changing the element without changing the charge. They are also important for alpha decay, and quarks.

Answer 8

Neutrons do not affect teh charge of an atom because they have no charge.

The only affect neutrons have on the atom is that they affect the mass of an atom.

Answer 9

They form the atomic nucleus with the protons.