neutrino
Definition
- Noun:
- An elementary particle with zero charge and zero mass: A neutrino is a fundamental subatomic particle. It is electrically neutral (has zero charge) and for a long time was thought to have zero mass, though modern physics now suggests it has an extremely tiny, non-zero mass. Neutrinos interact with matter only via the weak nuclear force and gravity, making them incredibly difficult to detect.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Scientists detected a neutrino from a distant supernova.
- The experiment is designed to study the properties of the neutrino.
- Because neutrinos rarely interact, trillions pass through your body every second.
Advanced Usage
"Neutrino oscillation": A quantum phenomenon where a neutrino changes its type (or "flavor") as it travels through space. This discovery proved that neutrinos must have mass.
- The Nobel Prize was awarded for the discovery of neutrino oscillation.
"Relic neutrino": Neutrinos that were created in the first second after the Big Bang and still permeate the universe.
- Detecting relic neutrinos is a major goal of cosmology.
Variants and Related Words
- Neutrinoless (adj): Referring to a theoretical process, such as double beta decay, that occurs without the emission of neutrinos.
- Observing neutrinoless double beta decay would prove the neutrino is its own antiparticle.
Synonyms
- Elementary particle: A fundamental constituent of matter. (This is the category the neutrino belongs to.)
- Lepton: A class of elementary particles that includes electrons, muons, taus, and their associated neutrinos. (This is the family the neutrino belongs to.)
Related Phrases and Terms
- "Electron neutrino": One of the three known flavors (types) of neutrino, associated with the electron.
- "Muon neutrino": A neutrino flavor associated with the muon particle.
- "Tau neutrino": A neutrino flavor associated with the tau particle.
- "Solar neutrino": A neutrino produced by nuclear fusion in the Sun's core.
- The solar neutrino problem led to important discoveries in particle physics.
Noun
-
an elementary particle with zero charge and zero mass
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