Neutrons in the Nucleus

The nucleus also may contain neutrons.

Neutrons also weigh approximately 1 amu but they have no charge at all. This means that the number of neutrons in a nucleus has no effect on the chemical behavior of the atom, although it can affect the stability of the nucleus and therefore can contribute to the likelihood of nuclear reactions occurring.

Because neutrons have mass, atoms with different numbers of neutrons will have different masses even if they are the same element. In other words, even if two different atoms are both carbon (both have 6 protons) they may weigh different amounts if they have different numbers of neutrons. Atoms of this type (same element with different numbers of neutrons, and therefore, different masses) are called isotopes.

information on:

• protons in the nucleus
• electrons in the atom

back to atomic structure