The neutron, a silent braid

The neutron is the same three-loop braid as the proton, with the opposite majority: one up loop (+⅔) and two down loops (−⅓ each). Its charges sum to zero, so it churns no net wake and is silent to the field around it.

Inside, its loops still circulate. That is why the neutron has a magnetic moment even though it has no charge. The loop charges predict a neutron moment of −⅔ of the proton's, close to the measured −0.685. They also explain why the neutron's interior is slightly positive at its center and slightly negative at its edge. Because it is a three-loop braid like the proton, the neutron shares the proton's spin of ½ and nearly its mass.

In the nucleus, neutrons are the neutral voices. Protons' right-handed wakes clash and push apart, while neutrons add to the clamp's grip without adding any clash. That is why heavier nuclei need a growing share of neutrons to stay stable: lead-208 holds 126 neutrons with its 82 protons.