Editing Neutron radiation (section)

{{Short description|Ionizing radiation that presents as free neutrons}}
{{Science with neutrons}}
'''Neutron radiation''' is a form of [[ionizing radiation]] that presents as [[free neutron]]s. Typical phenomena are  [[nuclear fission]] or [[nuclear fusion]] causing the release of free neutrons, which then [[Neutron capture|react]] with [[Atomic nucleus|nuclei]] of other [[atom]]s to form new [[nuclide]]s—which, in turn, may trigger further neutron radiation.  Free neutrons are unstable, [[Free neutron decay|decaying]] into a [[proton]], an [[electron]], plus an [[Electron neutrino#Electron antineutrino|electron antineutrino]]. Free neutrons have a mean lifetime of 887 seconds (14 minutes, 47 seconds).<ref>{{cite journal|title=Improved Determination of the Neutron Lifetime|first1=A. T.|last1=Yue|first2=M. S.|last2=Dewey|first3=D. M.|last3=Gilliam|first4=G. L.|last4=Greene|first5=A. B.|last5=Laptev|first6=J. S.|last6=Nico|first7=W. M.|last7=Snow|first8=F. E.|last8=Wietfeldt|date=27 November 2013|journal=Physical Review Letters|volume=111|issue=22|pages=222501|doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.222501|pmid = 24329445|arxiv=1309.2623|bibcode=2013PhRvL.111v2501Y|s2cid=17006418}}</ref>

Neutron radiation is distinct from [[alpha radiation|alpha]], [[beta radiation|beta]] and [[gamma radiation|gamma]] radiation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Are The Different Types of Radiation? |url=https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/science-101/what-are-different-types-of-radiation.html}}</ref>