muon

noun mu·on \ ˈmyü-ˌän \

|Updated on: 10 Jul 2018

Definition of muon

: an unstable lepton that is common in the cosmic radiation near the earth's surface, has a mass about 207 times the mass of the electron, and exists in negative and positive forms

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muonic

play \myü-ˈä-nik\ adjective

Recent Examples of muon from the Web

The MiniBooNE experiment shoots a beam of muon neutrinos toward a giant oil tank.

— natalie wolchover, Washington Post, "Evidence for a new fundamental particle thrills and baffles physicists," 18 June 2018
This would give an additional path by which muon neutrinos produced in the decays could oscillate into electron neutrinos, having spent a short bit of time as sterile neutrinos in between.

— john timmer, Ars Technica, "Weird neutrino excess won’t go away, hints at new physics," 8 June 2018
Neutrinos come in three types — muon neutrinos, tau neutrinos and electron neutrinos.

— NBC News, "This bold experiment aims to solve one of the biggest mysteries in science," 8 May 2018
With each collision that registers, DUNE scientists should be able to determine whether the neutrinos and antineutrinos have changed type — for example, from a muon neutrino to an electron neutrino.

— NBC News, "This bold experiment aims to solve one of the biggest mysteries in science," 8 May 2018
Using robotic probes and 3-D imaging with muons (a type of subatomic particle), workers have found pebbly deposits and debris at various areas inside the primary containment vessels in the three of the plant’s reactor units.

— tim hornyak, Scientific American, "Clearing the Radioactive Rubble Heap That Was Fukushima Daiichi, 7 Years On," 9 Mar. 2018
That's because it was found using muon radiography, a type of imaging that uses subatomic particles to peer through walls or solid structures.

— National Geographic, "Unsolved Science Mysteries From 2017," 18 Dec. 2017
To look for such chambers Dr Morishima and his colleagues deployed three sorts of muon detector in various places in and around the pyramid.

— The Economist, "EgyptologyA new chamber has been detected in the Great Pyramid of Giza," 4 Nov. 2017
When muons hit solid objects like bricks, their paths are slightly diverted.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "Scientists confirm there’s a mysterious “void” in the Great Pyramid," 2 Nov. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'muon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of muon

contraction of earlier mu-meson, from mu

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First Known Use: 1951

in the meaning defined above

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muon

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muonic

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