Is the Electron the Smallest Stable Particle?

[nottay]

Is an electron the smallest stable subatomic particle? By stable I mean it can exist independently of other particles.

 

[phyzguy]

What do you mean by "smallest"? Lightest?

 

[cragar]

maybe photon or electron .

 

[Naty1]

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.

 

[wasia]

I would say some neutrino is the "smallest" in the sense that it has a small mass and doesn't interact much with anything.

 

[diazona]

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.

 

[nottay]

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.

 

[phyzguy]

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.

 

[nottay]

Thanks phyzguy!