For his discovery of the neutron, Chadwick was awarded the Hughes Medal by the Royal Society in 1932, the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1935, the Copley Medal in 1950 and the Franklin Medal in 1951. His discovery of the neutron made it possible to produce elements heavier than uranium in the laboratory by the capture of slow neutrons followed by beta decay. Unlike the positively charged alpha particles, which are repelled by the electrical forces present in the nuclei of other atoms, neutrons do not need to overcome any Coulomb barrier, and can therefore penetrate and enter the nuclei of even the heaviest elements such as uranium. This inspired Enrico Fermi to investigate the nuclear reactions brought about by collisions of nuclei with slow neutrons, work for which Fermi would receive the Nobel Prize in 1938.
for his discovery of the neutron chadwick was awarded the hughes medal by the royal society in 1932 the nobel prize in physics in 1935 the copley medal in 1950 and the franklin medal in 1951 his discovery of the neutron made it possible to produce elements heavier than uranium in the laboratory by the capture of slow neutrons followed by beta decay unlike the positively charged alpha particles which are repelled by the electrical forces present in the nuclei of other atoms neutrons do not need to overcome any coulomb barrier and can therefore penetrate and enter the nuclei of even the heaviest elements such as uranium this inspired enrico fermi to investigate the nuclear reactions brought about by collisions of nuclei with slow neutrons work for which fermi would receive the nobel prize in 1938