EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -In 1932, Chadwick made a fundamental discovery in the domain of nuclear science: he proved the existence of neutrons – elementary particles devoid of any electrical charge.

Detailed explanation-2: -Chadwick had discovered the neutron the year before while working at Cavendish Laboratory.

Detailed explanation-3: -Chadwick conducted the same experiment using beryllium and paraffin block but provided a different interpretation. He claimed that this unknown radiation was actually neutral particles – neutrons. By applying the law of conservation of momentum and conservation of energy, Chadwick determined the mass of a neutron.

Detailed explanation-4: -His discovery helps clear the way for splitting the nuclei of even the heaviest atomic elements, making possible the development of the atomic bomb. Unlike the proton, the other large subatomic particle that helps form the nucleus of an atom, the neutron contains no electric charge.

Detailed explanation-5: -Using Polonium as a source of (what he believed were) neutrons, Chadwick bombarded paraffin wax and released protons which behaved in exactly the manner they ought to if they had been hit by electrically neutral particles with a mass similar to the proton. This is when he discovered the neutron.