Muon

Key Stage 5

Meaning

A muon (μ) is a type of lepton with a mass 206 times that of an electron and a charge of -1.60x10^-19 Coulombs (the same as an electron).

About Muons

Muons are fundamental particles as they are not made of any smaller particles.

Muons may be produced in the decay of π-mesons, also producing an antimuon-neutrino, conserving lepton number.

Muons have a very short half life and will decay into an electron, a muon-neutrino and an antielectron-neutrino, conserving lepton number and flavour.

Muons are affected by the:

• Weak Nuclear Interaction
• Electromagnetic Interaction
• Gravitational Interaction

Lepton	Charge/e	Strangeness	Baryon Number	Lepton Number
Muon	\(Q=-1\)	\(S=0\)	\(B=0\)	\(L=+1\)
Muon-neutrino	\(Q=0\)	\(S=0\)	\(B=0\)	\(L=+1\)
Antimuon	\(Q=+1\)	\(S=0\)	\(B=0\)	\(L=-1\)
Antimuon-neutrino	\(Q=0\)	\(S=0\)	\(B=0\)	\(L=-1\)