Leptones

Leptones is not a standard term in contemporary particle physics. It may be a misspelling or variant of “leptons,” or it could appear in a non-scientific or fictional context. In scholarly writing, the established term to describe the relevant particles is leptons. If you encounter leptones in a text, it is advisable to check whether the author intended leptons or a different concept.

Leptons are fundamental fermions in the Standard Model of particle physics. They do not participate in the strong interaction. Leptons come in six flavors: three charged leptons—electron (e−), muon (μ−), and tau (τ−)—and three corresponding neutrinos—electron neutrino (νe), muon neutrino (νμ), and tau neutrino (ντ). They have half-integer spin and obey Fermi-Dirac statistics. Charged leptons carry electric charge of −1, while neutrinos are electrically neutral. Their masses span a wide range: the electron is about 0.511 MeV, the muon about 106 MeV, and the tau about 1777 MeV; neutrino masses are tiny and remain the subject of ongoing measurements and study.

Leptons interact through the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces. Neutrinos interact only via the weak force (and gravity in principle), whereas charged leptons engage in electromagnetic interactions as well. In the Standard Model, left-handed leptons form SU(2)L doublets with their corresponding neutrinos, while right-handed charged leptons are SU(2)L singlets. Neutrino oscillations indicate that neutrinos have mass, which implies physics beyond the minimal Standard Model.

If you encounter the term leptones, consider whether the intended meaning is leptons or a context outside established physics terminology.