Science & Technology Research News
Precision Experiment First to Isolate, Measure Weak Force Between Protons, Neutrons
A team of scientists has for the first time measured the elusive weak interaction between protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. They had chosen the simplest nucleus consisting of one neutron and one proton for the study.
Through a unique neutron experiment at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, experimental physicists resolved the weak force between the particles at the atom’s core, predicted in the Standard Model that describes the elementary particles and their interactions.
Their result is sensitive to subtle aspects of the strong force between nuclear particles, which is still poorly understood.