NEUTRON is a subatomic particle with no electric charge found in atomic nuclei. Essential for nuclear reactions and matter stability. In Scrabble, NEUTRON scores 7 base points as a valuable 7-letter bingo.
Yes. NEUTRON is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 7 points in Scrabble, 10 in Words With Friends and 8 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | N | E | U | T | R | O | N | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Words With Friends | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Wordfeud | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
NEUTRON represents one of nature's most elegant solutions to a fundamental problem: how to build stable matter from positively charged protons that should repel each other. Discovered in 1932 by James Chadwick, neutrons transformed our understanding of atomic structure and unleashed both humanity's greatest hopes and darkest fears through nuclear technology.
The neutron's discovery solved atomic physics' central puzzle. Scientists knew atoms contained positive protons and negative electrons, but the mass didn't add up. Chadwick's neutron—with proton's mass but no charge—completed the picture. Neutrons act as nuclear glue, allowing protons to cluster despite electromagnetic repulsion. Without neutrons, only hydrogen could exist. Every element beyond hydrogen owes its existence to neutrons' stabilizing presence. This neutral particle makes possible the periodic table's rich diversity.
Free neutrons live fleeting lives—about 14 minutes before decaying into protons, electrons, and antineutrinos. But within atomic nuclei, neutrons achieve immortality, stable for billions of years. This Jekyll-and-Hyde existence puzzled physicists until quantum mechanics revealed how nuclear forces alter neutron behavior. Too many or too few neutrons make atoms radioactive. The precise neutron-to-proton ratio determines whether elements are stable or decay. Carbon-12 (6 protons, 6 neutrons) anchors life; Carbon-14 (6 protons, 8 neutrons) enables radiocarbon dating.
"Neutron" combines Latin "neuter" (neither/neutral) with the suffix "-on" used for subatomic particles. Coined by William Harkins in 1921 and popularized after James Chadwick's 1932 discovery, the name perfectly captures this particle's defining characteristic: electrical neutrality.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of NEUTRON.
Hooks: no front hooks; back NEUTRONS.
Words inside NEUTRON: 76 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: NEURONTENOURTONNERTURNONUNRENTUNTORNNONETNOTEROUTEROUTREROUENROUTE. See all words from NEUTRON.