![lepton spin lepton spin](https://es-static.z-dn.net/files/d53/f8756359f7ffe3cdfc75541cc00da77e.png)
Unlike quarks however, leptons are not subject to the strong interaction, but they are subject to the other three fundamental interactions: gravitation, electromagnetism (excluding neutrinos, which are electrically neutral), and the weak interaction.įor every lepton flavor there is a corresponding type of antiparticle, known as an antilepton, that differs from the lepton only in that some of its properties have equal magnitude but opposite sign. Leptons have various intrinsic properties, including electric charge, spin, and mass. Thus electrons are stable and the most common charged lepton in the universe, whereas muons and taus can only be produced in high energy collisions (such as those involving cosmic rays and those carried out in particle accelerators). The heavier muons and taus will rapidly change into electrons through a process of particle decay: the transformation from a higher mass state to a lower mass state. Electrons have the least mass of all the charged leptons.
![lepton spin lepton spin](https://image.slideserve.com/157987/baryons-l.jpg)
Μ) and the third is the tauonic leptons, comprising the tau ( τ −) and the tau neutrino ( ν The first generation is the electronic leptons, comprising the electron ( e −) and electron neutrino ( νĮ) the second is the muonic leptons, comprising the muon ( μ −) and muon neutrino ( ν There are six types of leptons, known as flavours, forming three generations. The best known of all leptons is the electron. Charged leptons can combine with other particles to form various composite particles such as atoms and positronium, while neutrinos rarely interact with anything, and are consequently rarely observed. Two main classes of leptons exist: charged leptons (also known as the electron-like leptons), and neutral leptons (better known as neutrinos). Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols.Ī lepton is an elementary, half-integer spin (spin 1⁄ 2) particle that does not undergo strong interactions. This article contains special characters. Leptons are involved in several processes such as beta decay.Ħ ( electron, electron neutrino, muon, muon neutrino, tau, tau neutrino)