Naming of the Leptons - Find the Right Word

In summary, the conversation revolved around the search for heavy Majorana type neutrinos in an undergraduate research paper. The speaker was looking for the proper term for the lepton with the smallest transverse-momentum, and suggestions were made such as "third lepton" or "sub-sub-leading lepton". It was also mentioned that there can be more leptons at lower energies which can make the term not well-defined. The conversation concluded with the suggestion of using a term like "sub-sub-leading" and explaining its meaning in the text.
  • #1
mimocs
13
0
Hi, I am currently an undergraduate student and I am writing my undergraduate research paper right now.

The thesis is about searching for heavy Majorana type neutrinos.

While writing the paper, I really need some 'right word' but I can't find it so let me explain it here, and it would be very grateful if someone tells me what the right word is.Let's say there is a channel whose final objects have 3 leptons (and other stuffs too).

We usually call the lepton with the biggest transverse-momentum 'leading lepton'.
And the second biggest 'sub-leading lepton'.However, I can't find the word for the smallest transverse-momentum.
Can anyone tell me a proper term for the lepton with smallest transverse-momentum?

Maybe... following lepton? or... sub-sub-leading lepton (since it has the smallest but also the third biggest momentum)?
Doesn't the right term exist??
 
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  • #2
The usual name is "third [particly type]". Here: third lepton.
There can always be more leptons at lower energy from hadron decays and so on, something with the smallest pT is not well-defined.
 
  • #3
Just from a semantics point of view the opposite of leading is either trailing or lagging. But neither of these make sense in this context.
 
  • #4
it would have been something like next to the subleading (my naming).
 
  • #5
Sometimes we say leading, sub-leading, and sub-sub leading, though its nicer to use the Leading Order (LO) Next-to-Leading Order (NLO), Next-to-Next-to Leading Order (NNLO), etc.
 
  • #6
Since it's a matter of word choice, you can ask your supervisor whether he knows of any such term... otherwise you can just use somekind of naming like "sub-sub-leading" (as Hepth mentioned above) like inventing one and explain in your text what you mean by it.
 

1. What are leptons?

Leptons are a type of elementary particle that make up the building blocks of matter. They are fundamental particles, meaning they cannot be broken down into smaller components.

2. How were leptons named?

Leptons were named by physicist Leon Lederman in 1962. The word "lepton" comes from the Greek word "leptos" meaning "small" or "light".

3. What are the six types of leptons?

The six types of leptons are the electron, muon, tau, and their corresponding neutrinos. Each lepton also has an antiparticle with opposite charge.

4. How are leptons different from quarks?

Leptons and quarks are both elementary particles, but they have different properties. Leptons have a half-integer spin, meaning they are fermions, while quarks have an integer spin and are classified as bosons. Leptons also do not experience the strong nuclear force, while quarks do.

5. Why is it important to find the right word to name leptons?

Naming particles helps scientists to organize and classify them, making it easier to study and understand their properties. The naming of leptons allows for clear communication and collaboration within the scientific community.

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