11.2.6—That electrons and neutrinos are fundamental particles called leptons
- Syllabus
- 9702–2028–2029
- Objective
- 11.2.6
- Level
- AS
Electrons and neutrinos are fundamental leptons with distinct charge and interaction roles
Leptons are fundamental particles including electrons, muons, taus and their neutrinos. Charged leptons have charge −e; neutrinos are neutral.
Pair each charged lepton with its neutrino flavour and distinguish leptons from hadrons, which are composite.
An electron can be emitted in β− decay, while the associated electron antineutrino carries away energy and lepton number.
A neutrino is not a neutral proton or a low-energy photon; it is a distinct fundamental lepton.
ConceptA-Level CAIE Physics AS