What is the probability of a neutron interacted with an element related to?

The probability of a neutron interacting with an element is primarily related to the neutron particle penetration. Neutrons, being neutral, interact with atomic nuclei through various mechanisms such as elastic scattering, inelastic scattering, or absorption. The penetration ability of neutrons into a material is influenced by factors such as the total cross-section of the element and the neutron's energy.

When considering the interaction, neutrons can pass through materials with lower atomic numbers more easily, but their interaction likelihood increases based on the energy of the neutrons and the specific properties of the target element. For instance, lower-energy neutrons are more likely to be absorbed by nuclei of certain isotopes, while higher-energy neutrons may have different scattering probabilities depending on the material’s atomic structure.

This understanding emphasizes that the interaction probability is not solely determined by the atomic number, mass of the element, or environmental temperature, but is uniquely significant to how well neutrons can penetrate and subsequently interact with the nuclei of the material.