muon

[ myoo-on ]

noun

, Physics.

1. a lepton similar in most respects to the electron except that it is unstable, it may be positively charged, and its mass is approximately 207 times greater; the positively charged muon is the antiparticle of the negatively charged muon. : μ

muon

/ ˈmjuːɒn; mjuːˈɒnɪk /

noun

1. a positive or negative elementary particle with a mass 207 times that of an electron and spin 1 2 . It was originally called the mu meson but is now classified as a lepton

muon

/ myo̅o̅′ŏn′ /

1. An elementary particle in the lepton family having a mass 209 times that of the electron, a negative electric charge, and a mean lifetime of 2.2 × 10 ^-6 seconds. The muon was originally called the mu-meson and was once thought to be a meson.
2. See Table at subatomic particle

Derived Forms

• muonic, adjective

Other Words From

• mu·onic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of muon¹

1950–55; by shortening of mu meson; mu, -on ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of muon¹

C20: short for mu meson

Example Sentences

There’s just one catch: Nobody knows whether a muon collider can actually be built.

From Science Magazine

The neutrino can have three fundamental configurations -- flavors as they are termed by the physicists -- which are electron, muon, and tau.

From Science Daily

The Standard Model is a theory that attempts to describe subatomic particles, such as quarks and muons, along with the four fundamental forces: strong, weak, electromagnetic and gravity.

From Science Daily

They come in three types—electron, muon, and tau—that morph into one another, a phenomenon that might help explain how the universe generated more matter than antimatter.

From Science Magazine

But she cautions that because muons decay so rapidly, such a collider presents myriad technical challenges.

From Science Magazine