Question

What electric charge does a neutron have?

Answer 1

Hint: The neutron is the constituent particle of an atom more precisely the constituent of nucleus of an atom. The neutron of an atom is named after the nature of the charge on the neutron. The nature of the charge on the neutron can also be understood by the net charge on the nucleus. Hence accordingly we will determine the charge on the neutron.

Complete step-by-step solution:
The neutron was first discovered by James Chadwick for which he received a nobel prize. The nucleus of an atom consists of neutrons and protons which constitute the mass of the atom. The protons are positively charged in nature. The net charge on the nucleus is positive and equal to the magnitude of charge on the total number of protons. Hence it becomes very obvious that the net charge on the neutrons is zero. Since the neutrons of an atom are similar, the charge on them is also similar. The net charge on the neutrons hence can only be zero if all the neutrons have the zero charge.
Hence we can conclude that the neutrons have no charge i.e. they are electrically neutral in nature.

Note: It is to be noted that protons are positively charged whereas neutrons are negatively charged, but still they are closely packed in the nucleus. This is due to the fact that the neutrons and the protons are held together by short range nuclear force. The constituent particles of the nucleus i.e. nucleons also constitute the mass of the atom which is equal to the sum of the nucleons.