Protons Partner With Neutrons More Often Than With Other Protons
Monday, June 23, 2008 - 11:28
in Physics & Chemistry
Fast-moving protons are much more likely to pair up with fast-moving neutrons than with other protons in the nuclei of atoms, according to a recent experiment. The research confirms a previous theoretical prediction by a Penn State physicist. The theory and its experimental confirmation show that the high-energy interactions can be used to make future discoveries in order to understand the structure of nuclear systems, from light nuclei to massive neutron stars.