Final answer:
Neutrino-neutron interactions occur during beta decay, where a neutron turns into a proton, emitting an electron and an antineutrino. Beta-plus decay involves the conversion of a proton to a neutron, emitting a positron and a neutrino. These decays are mediated by the weak nuclear force.
Step-by-step explanation:
An equation representing the collision between a neutrino and a neutron is not typically described as a 'collision'. However, interactions between neutrinos and neutrons occur during beta decay processes which are mediated by the weak nuclear force. In beta-minus decay (β− decay), a neutron inside an atomic nucleus turns into a proton while emitting an electron (also known as a beta particle, B or e−) and an antineutrino (νe). The general equation for this decay is:
n → p + e− + νe
Where n represents a neutron, p is a proton, e− is the emitted electron, and νe is the electron antineutrino. In the case of beta-plus decay (β+ decay), a proton converts into a neutron by emitting a positron (e+) and a neutrino (νe). This is expressed by the equation:
p → n + e+ + νe
It is of note that neutrinos, with their lack of electric charge and extremely low mass, are elusive particles that were only directly detected decades after they were originally postulated. They interact with matter via the weak nuclear force, which is distinct from the strong nuclear force that binds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.