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Difference between revisions of "Conservation of Lepton Number"

 
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: [[Lepton|Anti-lepton]]s have a '''lepton number''' of -1.
 
: [[Lepton|Anti-lepton]]s have a '''lepton number''' of -1.
 
: If a [[Lepton]] comes into existence an [[Lepton|Anti-lepton]] must also come into existence.
 
: If a [[Lepton]] comes into existence an [[Lepton|Anti-lepton]] must also come into existence.
: '''Conservation of Lepton Number''' can be applied to all [[Fundamental Interactions|fundamental interactions]] to balance the [[Nuclear Equation|equations]] and to ascertain the types of [[Subatomic Particle|particles]] produced.
+
: '''Conservation of Lepton Number''' can be applied to all [[Fundamental Interactions|fundamental interactions]] to balance the [[Nuclear Equation|equations]] and to ascertain the types of [[Subatomic Particle|particles]] produced. However, [[lepton]]s do not interact via the [[Strong Nuclear Interaction]], so while the conservation law applies, it is irrelevant.
  
 
===Examples===
 
===Examples===

Latest revision as of 10:26, 13 March 2020

Key Stage 5

Meaning

The law of conservation of Lepton Number is the observation that in all fundamental interactions the sum of Leptons and Anti-leptons is the same before and after the interaction.

About Conservation of Lepton Number

Leptons have a Lepton number of 1.
Anti-leptons have a lepton number of -1.
If a Lepton comes into existence an Anti-lepton must also come into existence.
Conservation of Lepton Number can be applied to all fundamental interactions to balance the equations and to ascertain the types of particles produced. However, leptons do not interact via the Strong Nuclear Interaction, so while the conservation law applies, it is irrelevant.

Examples

\(p+\bar\nu_e\rightarrow n + \beta^+\)
\(p\) \(+\) \(\bar\nu_e\) \(\rightarrow\) \(n\) \(+\) \(\beta^+\)
Charge \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(n+\nu_e\rightarrow p + \beta^-\)
\(n\) \(+\) \(\nu_e\) \(\rightarrow\) \(p\) \(+\) \(\beta^-\)
Charge \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(p+\bar\nu_{\mu}\rightarrow n + \mu^+\)
\(p\) \(+\) \(\bar\nu_{\mu}\) \(\rightarrow\) \(n\) \(+\) \(\mu^+\)
Charge \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(n+\nu_{\mu}\rightarrow p + \mu^-\)
\(n\) \(+\) \(\nu_{\mu}\) \(\rightarrow\) \(p\) \(+\) \(\mu^-\)
Charge \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(p + e^- \rightarrow n + \nu_e\)
\(p\) \(+\) \(e^-\) \(\rightarrow\) \(n\) \(+\) \(\nu_e\)
Charge \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(p + \pi^- \rightarrow K^+ + \Sigma^-\)
\(p\) \(+\) \(\pi^-\) \(\rightarrow\) \(K^+\) \(+\) \(\Sigma^-\)
Charge \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
\(n + \pi^- \rightarrow K^0 + \Sigma^-\)
\(n\) \(+\) \(\pi^-\) \(\rightarrow\) \(K^0\) \(+\) \(\Sigma^-\)
Charge \(0\) \(+\) \(-1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(-1\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
\(n + \pi^+ \rightarrow K^+ + \Sigma^0\)
\(n\) \(+\) \(\pi^+\) \(\rightarrow\) \(K^+\) \(+\) \(\Sigma^0\)
Charge \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
\(p + \bar p \rightarrow \pi^+ + \pi^-\)
\(p\) \(+\) \(\bar p\) \(\rightarrow\) \(\pi^+\) \(+\) \(\pi^-\)
Charge \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(p\rightarrow n + \beta^+ + \nu_e\)
\(p\) \(\rightarrow\) \(n\) \(+\) \(\beta^+\) \(+\) \(\nu_e\)
Charge \(+1\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(-1\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(n\rightarrow p + \beta^- + \bar\nu_e\)
\(n\) \(\rightarrow\) \(p\) \(+\) \(\beta^-\) \(+\) \(\bar\nu_e\)
Charge \(0\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\) \(+\) \(0\)
Baryon Number \(+1\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(\mu^+ \rightarrow e^+ + \bar\nu_{\mu}+\nu_{e}\)
\(\mu^+\) \(\rightarrow\) \(e^+\) \(+\) \(\bar\nu_{\mu}\) \(+\) \(\nu_{e}\)
Charge \(+1\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Baryon Number \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(-1\) \(=\) \(-1\) \(+\) \(-1\) \(+\) \(+1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
\(\mu^- \rightarrow e^- + \nu_{\mu}+\bar\nu_{e}\)
\(\mu^-\) \(\rightarrow\) \(e^-\) \(+\) \(\nu_{\mu}\) \(+\) \(\bar\nu_{e}\)
Charge \(-1\) \(=\) \(-1\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Baryon Number \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)
Lepton Number \(+1\) \(=\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(+1\) \(+\) \(-1\)
Strangeness \(0\) \(=\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\) \(+\) \(0\)