Semi-OT: A General Tech Question Thread for me :)

[Wolfman77]

Sort of, if you force them together, they could create a neutron and some energy, I think. There is something that keeps them from doing that on their own, can't remember what it is off the top of my head, and need to go do some work for a half hour or so, I'll look it up when I get back here. Or you can try wikipedia if you want.

[Hunpecked]

According a Wikipedia article, right after the Big Bang there was about 74% hydrogen-1, 1% hydrogen-2, 25% helium-4, and trace amounts of lithium and beryllium. Nucleosynthesis stopped there because there are no stable 8-nucleon elements (2 x helium-4) and there was insufficient time for many triple-alpha collisions (3 x helium-4).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang_nucleosynthesis

[Suicide Junkie]

Wolfman77 said:
Sort of, if you force them together, they could create a neutron and some energy, I think. There is something that keeps them from doing that on their own, can't remember what it is off the top of my head, and need to go do some work for a half hour or so, I'll look it up when I get back here. Or you can try wikipedia if you want.

You don't get energy out. You have to put energy in.

Free neutrons have a half-life of 11 minutes, and decay back to a Proton and Electron.

Neutrinos get thrown around too, but I don't think you care.

[Wolfman77]

Sorry, I had it backwards. That's what I get for being in a hurry and not looking it up first.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Ah, thanks.