Probability of Electron Capture by the Proton in Neutron Decay

Most recent answer: 02/17/2015

Q:
A neutron splits into an proton,electron and a anti neutrino and the electron gets ejected out. Why does the positive charge of the proton does not attract the electron?????????????????????????
- Vidhyakant.rao (age 17)
Tamilnadu
A:

The electron is indeed attracted by the proton's positive charge and In principle could be captured to form a hydrogen atom.    The following plot, taken from , shows that the probability of this happening approaches zero for electrons slow enough to be captured.

LeeH


(published on 02/17/2015)