Lepton: Difference between revisions
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A '''lepton''' is a [[spin]] 1/2 elementary particle that is not subject to the strong nuclear force. There are six leptons (apart from their antiparticles): the [[electron]], [[muon]], [[tau]] and their associated [[neutrino]]s. Leptons can possess [[electric charge]] as in the case of the electron (e<sup>−</sup>), muon (μ<sup>−</sup>) and tau (τ<sup>−</sup>) (all negatively charged), and the corresponding antileptons (all positively charged), or can be electric charge neutral like the electron neutrino (ν<sub>e</sub>), muon neutrino (ν<sub>μ</sub>), or tau neutrino (ν<sub>τ</sub>).<ref name=Cottingham/><ref name=Quinn/> | A '''lepton''' is a [[spin]] 1/2 elementary particle that is not subject to the strong nuclear force. There are six leptons (apart from their antiparticles), sometimes referred to as ''flavors'' of lepton:<ref name=Srednicki/> the [[electron]], [[muon]], [[tau]] and their associated [[neutrino]]s. Leptons can possess [[electric charge]] as in the case of the electron (e<sup>−</sup>), muon (μ<sup>−</sup>) and tau (τ<sup>−</sup>) (all negatively charged), and the corresponding antileptons (all positively charged), or can be electric charge neutral like the electron neutrino (ν<sub>e</sub>), muon neutrino (ν<sub>μ</sub>), or tau neutrino (ν<sub>τ</sub>).<ref name=Cottingham/><ref name=Quinn/> | ||
Having spin 1/2, all leptons are [[fermion]]s.<ref name=Lincoln/> | Having spin 1/2, all leptons are [[fermion]]s.<ref name=Lincoln/> | ||
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{{cite book |title=The Mystery of the Missing Antimatter |author=Helen R. Quinn, Yossi Nir |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=W_E2rAui1l8C&pg=PA98 |pages=p. 98 |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2010 |isbn=1400835712}} | {{cite book |title=The Mystery of the Missing Antimatter |author=Helen R. Quinn, Yossi Nir |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=W_E2rAui1l8C&pg=PA98 |pages=p. 98 |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2010 |isbn=1400835712}} | ||
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{{cite book |title=Quantum Field Theory |author=Mark Allen Srednicki |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5OepxIG42B4C&pg=PA549 |pages=p. 549 |chapter=Table 88.1: The six flavors of lepton. |isbn=0521864496 |year=2007 |publisher=Cambridge University Press}} | |||
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Revision as of 10:38, 22 August 2011
A lepton is a spin 1/2 elementary particle that is not subject to the strong nuclear force. There are six leptons (apart from their antiparticles), sometimes referred to as flavors of lepton:[1] the electron, muon, tau and their associated neutrinos. Leptons can possess electric charge as in the case of the electron (e−), muon (μ−) and tau (τ−) (all negatively charged), and the corresponding antileptons (all positively charged), or can be electric charge neutral like the electron neutrino (νe), muon neutrino (νμ), or tau neutrino (ντ).[2][3]
Having spin 1/2, all leptons are fermions.[4]
References
- ↑ Mark Allen Srednicki (2007). “Table 88.1: The six flavors of lepton.”, Quantum Field Theory. Cambridge University Press, p. 549. ISBN 0521864496.
- ↑ WN Cottingham, DA Greenwood (2007). “Table 1.2: Leptons”, An introduction to the Standard Model of particle physics, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, p. 3. ISBN 978-0-521-85249-4.
- ↑ Helen R. Quinn, Yossi Nir (2010). The Mystery of the Missing Antimatter. Princeton University Press, p. 98. ISBN 1400835712.
- ↑ Don Lincoln (2004). Understanding the universe: from quarks to the cosmos. World Scientific, p. 143. ISBN 9812387056.