Neutron

An electrically neutral particle found in every atomic nucleus except ordinary hydrogen, alongside protons. Fission releases neutrons that can go on to split further nuclei, sustaining a chain reaction; fusion of deuterium and tritium releases a neutron carrying 14.1 of the reaction's 17.6 million electronvolts, which escapes the plasma and must be captured to make heat or to breed tritium. Because neutrons carry no charge, they pass easily through matter that would stop a charged particle, which is what makes them useful for breeding fuel and damaging to materials at the same time.

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concept:neutron

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