Pions, Muons, Kaons, Tau, Neutrinos

In summary, particles such as muons, taus, pions, and kaons are all formed from energetic collisions with protons. They do not reside within protons, but are created by them. These particles have varying lifetimes and eventually decay into electrons and anti-neutrinos or neutrinos. The probability of their formation depends on factors such as available energy and conservation of charge and baryon and lepton numbers.
  • #1
FeDeX_LaTeX
Gold Member
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Hello;

Are these particles all found in the atom? If so, whereabouts?

Thanks.
 
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  • #2
Muons and taus are leptons. The muon's (radioactive) lifetime is about 2.2 microseconds, and the tau about 0.29 picoseconds. Pion and kaons are mesons. The pion and charged kaon lifetime is ~ 25 and 12 nanoseconds. All are created by very energetic collisions with protons. They do not reside in the protons. Eventually they all decay to electrons (or positrons) and anti-neutrinos (and neutrinos).

Bob S
 
  • #3
Thanks!

So you're saying that pions, kaons, etc. are formed from proton collision? So what determines whether or not a pion or kaon etc. is formed?
 
  • #4
All mesons are decay products of quarks produced in proton-proton collisions. All leptons are decay products of either meson or baryon decays. See

http://pdg.lbl.gov/2002/quarkmodrpp.pdf

Protons are uud (up up down) quarks in Fig. 13.2 (a). Mesons (with quark composition) are shown in Table 13.2. The production of mesons and leptons depends on available energy (in the center of mass), conservation of charge, baryon number, lepton number, CPT (charge, parity, time) etc. The probability of any particular final state depends on branching ratios and probability of individual decays.

See also

http://pdg.lbl.gov/2002/contents_sports.html#stanmodeletc

Bob S
 

FAQ: Pions, Muons, Kaons, Tau, Neutrinos

What are pions, muons, kaons, tau, and neutrinos?

Pions, muons, kaons, tau, and neutrinos are all subatomic particles that are classified as elementary particles, meaning they cannot be broken down into smaller particles. They are all considered to be part of the lepton and hadron families of particles.

What are the properties of these particles?

Pions, muons, kaons, tau, and neutrinos all have different properties, including mass, charge, and spin. Pions, kaons, and tau particles are all charged particles, while muons and neutrinos have no charge. Neutrinos also have a very small mass compared to the other particles.

How are these particles created?

These particles can be created through various processes, such as particle collisions in high-energy accelerators or through the decay of other particles. For example, pions are often produced in particle accelerators, while muons and tau particles are typically produced in the decay of heavier particles.

What are the uses of these particles?

These particles have various uses in scientific research and technology. For example, muons and neutrinos are used in particle physics experiments to study the properties of matter and the fundamental forces of the universe. Neutrinos also have potential applications in communication and detection technologies.

Are there any mysteries surrounding these particles?

While scientists have a good understanding of the properties and behavior of these particles, there are still some mysteries surrounding them. For instance, the exact mass of neutrinos is still unknown, and their role in the structure of the universe is still being studied. Additionally, there is ongoing research to understand the differences and similarities between the different families of particles.

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