Is the Electron the Smallest Stable Particle?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on whether the electron is the smallest stable subatomic particle. Participants clarify that "stable" refers to a particle's ability to exist independently, while "smallest" pertains to mass. The electron is often debated due to its tendency to combine with positively charged particles, leading to questions about its stability. Ultimately, the electron neutrino is identified as the lightest stable elementary particle, although its mass is not precisely known.

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  • Understanding of subatomic particles, including electrons and neutrinos
  • Familiarity with concepts of stability and mass in particle physics
  • Knowledge of particle interactions, particularly electron behavior in atoms
  • Basic comprehension of quantum mechanics and particle classification
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  • Research the properties and behavior of electron neutrinos
  • Study the concept of particle stability in quantum mechanics
  • Explore the differences between elementary particles and composite particles
  • Investigate the role of mass in determining particle interactions
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Students and professionals in physics, particularly those interested in particle physics, quantum mechanics, and the fundamental properties of matter.

nottay
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Is an electron the smallest stable subatomic particle? By stable I mean it can exist independently of other particles.
 
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What do you mean by "smallest"? Lightest?
 
maybe photon or electron .
 
Take your pick from here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_particles

The question is very vague for because for example the electron will immediately combine with a positively charged particle...is that "stable" enough for you?? does an electron in an atom meet your criteria?...in addition, the typical electron is a "cloud" rather than a point particle as often modeled.
 
I would say some neutrino is the "smallest" in the sense that it has a small mass and doesn't interact much with anything.
 
Naty1 said:
Take your pick from here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_particles

The question is very vague for because for example the electron will immediately combine with a positively charged particle...is that "stable" enough for you?? does an electron in an atom meet your criteria?...in addition, the typical electron is a "cloud" rather than a point particle as often modeled.
The same could be said about any other particle, but I agree, the question isn't really precise enough to answer unambiguously.
 
phyzguy said:
What do you mean by "smallest"? Lightest?

By "smallest" I mean non-zero rest mass. By "stable" I mean it can exist independently of other subatomic particles for an extended period of time.
 
nottay said:
By "smallest" I mean non-zero rest mass. By "stable" I mean it can exist independently of other subatomic particles for an extended period of time.[/QUOTE

The lightest stable elementary particle appears to be the electron neutrino. I say appears to be because the neutrino masses are not known very accurately, but my understanding is that the electron neutrino is the lightest of the three neutrinos.
 
Thanks phyzguy!
 

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