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How does a free neutron decay?

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Bohr model diagram of a hydrogen atom showing a green nucleus labeled H, a single electron orbit, and text with atomic mass 1.008 and electron configuration 1. — atom The Bohr model describes the structure of atoms, in this case hydrogen.

A free neutron—a neutron not bound within an atomic nucleus—is unstable and undergoes a process known as beta decay. Through the weak interaction, the neutron transforms into three distinct particles: a proton, an electron, and an antineutrino.123

This decay process can be represented by the equation:
$n \to p + e^{-} + \bar{ν}$

The free neutron has a half-life of approximately 10 to 12 minutes (often cited as 611 seconds). Because of this relatively short lifespan, free neutrons do not exist naturally on Earth except in transient states, such as those produced by cosmic rays or within high-energy environments like nuclear reactors.132