mu-meson

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   dated, the former name for the muon, used when that particle was mistakenly classified as a meson rather than a lepton

   Early researchers called the penetrating cosmic-ray particle a mu-meson before its lepton identity was established.

Formed from mu, the name of the Greek letter used in the particle's symbol, + meson. The historical term was later contracted to muon after experiments showed that the particle is a lepton and does not take part in the strong interaction like a true meson.

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