Although the neutron was discovered in 1932, its lifetime wasn't measured until 18 years later, when nuclear reactors became available. Obtaining a precise measurement was a tough experimental challenge back then. John Robson was the first to report such a measurement—at the Chalk River reactor in Canada. Fifty years later, improving the precision is still challenging experimenters.

Topics
Nuclear reactors, National Institute of Standards and Technology
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© 2000 American Institute of Physics.
2000
American Institute of Physics