Elementary Particles - Lecture 2
Elementary Particles - Lecture 2
1
Leptons
2
Beta activity and the Concept of Neutrino
Beta decay (β-decay) is a type
of radioactive decay in which a beta
particle (fast energetic electron or positron)
is emitted from an atomic nucleus,
transforming the original nuclide to
an isobar. Energy released was due to a
small difference in nuclei masses. However,
measurements of continuous electron
energy spectra were controversial.
1930 Pauli suggested that the continuum spectra might be due to one more
“invisible” light neutral particle (later to be named neutrino) involved in the
β-decay.
It could not be photons—they would be easily detected.
It had to be something else and might be undetectable at all… With three
particles involved, electron would be able to take any momentum from zero
to the maximum allowed, the balance being taken care of by the other light
“invisible” particle…
3
Neutrinos
Neutrino associated with Beta-decay was later identified as electron
neutrino. There are two other types of neutrinos: muon neutrino and tau
neutrino.
Properties of Neutrinos
Neutrinos have zero charge.
Their masses are known to be very small (< 1 eV).
Neutrinos are the most numerous matter particles in the universe.
They come from a variety of sources, such as cosmic rays, the sun,
exploding stars, the center of the Earth, nuclear power plants and
even nuclear processes within your body.
Thousands of trillions of neutrinos pass through you each second.
Neutrinos are particularly difficult to detect because they have no
charge and little mass, and they interact very weakly.
4
Detection of Electron Neutrino
Interaction of neutrino
Inverse beta decay equation
This interaction provides an opportunity of detecting the existence
of anti-neutrino (neutrino). However, the probability of this reaction
is extremely small.
1953 : Clyde L Cowan & Frederick Reines used a nuclear reactor at Hanford,
USA as a source of anti-neutrinos and discovered its existence.
1995: Frederick Reines was honoured with the Nobel Prize for his work
on neutrino physics
Discovery of Other Neutrinos
• Neutrinos emitted from the interior of the Sun are created through
proton-proton cycle and so these solar neutrinos are electron neutrinos.
𝟏 𝟏
𝑵𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝝂𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 = 𝑵𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝝂𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 ~ 𝑵𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝝂𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅
𝟑 𝟐