A muon is almost identical to an electron except for its mass, which is 105.7 Me
ID: 2201689 • Letter: A
Question
A muon is almost identical to an electron except for its mass, which is
105.7 MeV/c2, and the fact that it is unstable, with a lifetime of about 2.2 microseconds.
Suppose that muons of energy 10 GeV are produced when cosmic rays strike nitrogen
nuclei at an altitude of 35 km, and that the muons are traveling straight downward.
(a) If we neglect relativistic time dilation (the relativistic slowing of moving clocks), how
far would the muons go in 2.2 microseconds?
(b) Now taking into account time dilation, calculate how far the muon will go in 2.2
microseconds.
(c) Calculate the fraction of the muons produced at 35 km altitude that reach sea level.
Explanation / Answer
The electron is a fundamental subatomic particle that carries a negative electric charge. It is a spin-½ lepton that participates in electromagnetic interactions, its mass is approximately 1 / 1836 of the proton. Together with atomic nuclei (protons and neutrons), electrons make up atoms. Their interaction with adjacent nuclei is the main cause of chemical bonding.Wikipedia entry The tau lepton (often called the tau, tau particle, or occasionally the tauon, symbol au^{-} , ) is a negatively charged elementary particle with a lifetime of 2.90Ã
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