What Makes the Three Generations of Neutrinos Unique?

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We know that there are massive particles that only interact through gravity, too (neutrinos are thought to have mass for a different reason than other particles, but even if they didn't, there could still be a different kind of neutrino that had mass and interacted only through gravity).In summary, the three generations of neutrinos (electron, muon, and tau) are all massive particles, and the reason for this is still somewhat of a puzzle. Experimental evidence has shown that the mutation to electronic neutrino is more favourable, possibly due to their stability and decay. To detect these weakly interacting particles, a lot of energy and power is needed, and they only undergo weak interactions because they are leptons and electrically neutral
  • #1
wam_mi
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Hi everyone,

I have a few queries about neutrinos. I have recently read that there are 3 generations of neutrinos, namely the electron neutrino, the muon neutrino and the tau neutrino.

Q1: Why are they all massive particles and is it true that it is more favourable to go from muon neutrino to electron neutrino and why is that? Is it something to do with stability or decay? Any experimental evidence?

Q2: As for experimental evidence, do we need to have a lot of energy/power to detect these massive weakly interacting particles? Why is it that they only undergo weak interactions?

Q3: Follow up from Q1, is it possible if we can make the decay from electron neutrino to muon neutrino just as favourable as the process from muon neutrino to electron neutrino? If yes, how do we achieve that?Thanks guys!
 
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Q1: From my understanding, it is only experimental evidence that shows the favourable mutation to electronic neutrino.

Q2: The neutrino are electrically neutral (do not interact with the elctromagnetic force), with incredibly little mass (gravity does affect them). Furthermore, they are leptons (strong nuclear interaction of a nucleus does not work). Therefore, you need a direct hit with a nucleus to be able to detect a neutrino.

Cheers
 
  • #3


wam_mi said:
Why are they all massive particles

Why shouldn't they be? :smile: Before there was evidence that they have mass, it was a puzzle why they were apparently massless! It's still something of a puzzle why the masses are so small.

do we need to have a lot of energy/power to detect these massive weakly interacting particles?

The interaction cross section increases with energy, that is, higher-energy neutrinos are more likely to interact with a "target" than low-energy ones. That's why a lot of neutrino research has been done at accelerators that can produce beams of high-energy neutrinos (10's or 100's of GeV rather than the few hundred MeV that you get e.g. from solar neutrinos).

Why is it that they only undergo weak interactions?

That's just the way they are. The standard model defines them as part of the weak-interaction sector. They're presumably also affected by gravity, but I don't think that's been studied experimentally at all, except maybe indirectly via cosmological data and theory.
 
  • #4


Why is it that they only undergo weak interactions?

Well, they're leptons, so they don't interact strongly, and they're uncharged so they don't interact electromagnetically. Weak is all that's left.
 

1. What are neutrinos?

Neutrinos are subatomic particles that have no electric charge and very little mass. They interact very weakly with other particles and are therefore difficult to detect.

2. What is meant by "3 generations" of neutrinos?

There are three known types, or generations, of neutrinos: electron neutrinos, muon neutrinos, and tau neutrinos. Each generation has a different mass and is associated with a different type of charged lepton.

3. How do scientists study 3 generations of neutrinos?

Scientists study 3 generations of neutrinos through various experiments, such as detecting the products of neutrino interactions or observing the oscillation of neutrinos from one type to another.

4. Why is the study of 3 generations of neutrinos important?

The study of 3 generations of neutrinos helps us better understand the fundamental building blocks of the universe and the laws of particle physics. It also has practical applications, such as in detecting and monitoring nuclear reactions.

5. Are there any potential implications or applications of 3 generations of neutrinos in the future?

Yes, the study of 3 generations of neutrinos could potentially lead to new technologies and advancements in fields such as energy production, medical imaging, and astrophysics. It could also provide insight into the origins of the universe and help us answer fundamental questions about our existence.

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