tauon

Meaning

An unstable elementary particle which is a type of lepton, having a mass almost twice that of a proton, a negative charge, and a spin of ½; it decays into hadrons (usually pions) or other leptons, and neutrinos.

Synonyms

tau-minus particle

Etymology

From tau + -on, tau short for Ancient Greek τρίτος (trítos, “third”), being the third lepton discovered.

Notes

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