French Conversation · Level 13
89 words
French word
neutron
Pronunciation
IPA/nøtʁɔ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nounneutron
Example
Le noyau contient un neutron.
The nucleus contains a neutron.
More examples
J'ai lu dans un magazine un article sur le neutron.
I read an article about the neutron in a magazine.
Core concept
A weighty, electrically neutral building block sharing the nucleus with positively charged protons.
Similar words
proton: A positively charged particle found in an atomic nucleus.
électron: A very small, light particle with a negative charge that orbits an atomic nucleus.
atome: The smallest unit of matter, made of a nucleus and surrounding electrons.
noyau: The central part of an atom containing its protons and neutrons.
Definition in French
Particule subatomique sans charge électrique située dans le noyau, de masse proche de celle du proton.
Word origin
French neutron comes from English neutron, whose formation draws on Latin neuter, meaning neither, and the scientific suffix -on.
Usage tips
- Neutron and neutrino name different particles, since a neutrino is far lighter and is not a nuclear constituent in the ordinary atomic sense.