Lepton: meaning, definitions and examples
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lepton
[ ˈlɛptɒn ]
particle physics
A lepton is a fundamental particle that is not subject to strong interactions. Leptons are one of the building blocks of matter and include electrons, muons, and neutrinos. They are characterized by their half-integer spin and can exist in various energy states.
Synonyms
fundamental particle, subatomic particle.
Examples of usage
- Electrons are the most well-known type of lepton.
- Neutrinos are extremely light leptons that interact very weakly.
- Leptons play a crucial role in the Standard Model of particle physics.
- Muons, another type of lepton, are unstable and decay rapidly.
Translations
Translations of the word "lepton" in other languages:
🇵🇹 lépton
🇮🇳 लेप्टन
🇩🇪 Lepton
🇮🇩 lepton
🇺🇦 лептон
🇵🇱 lepton
🇯🇵 レプトン
🇫🇷 lepton
🇪🇸 leptón
🇹🇷 lepton
🇰🇷 렙톤
🇸🇦 ليبتون
🇨🇿 lepton
🇸🇰 lepton
🇨🇳 轻子
🇸🇮 lepton
🇮🇸 lepton
🇰🇿 лептон
🇬🇪 ლეპტონი
🇦🇿 lepton
🇲🇽 leptón
Etymology
The term 'lepton' originates from the Greek word 'leptos', meaning 'small' or 'thin'. It was introduced in the context of particle physics to classify a group of fundamental particles that do not experience the strong nuclear force, distinguishing them from hadrons. The concept of leptons emerged in the mid-20th century with the development of quantum field theory and the Standard Model, which aimed to describe the fundamental forces and particles in the universe. Leptons include particles such as the electron, which was discovered in 1897 by J.J. Thomson, and neutrinos, theorized by Wolfgang Pauli in 1930 and later detected in experiments. The classification and study of leptons have significantly advanced our understanding of particle physics and the universe's fundamental structure.