Beta Decay and Lepton Number Conservation
In beta-minus decay, a neutron transforms into a proton and an electron is emitted. To conserve lepton number, what additional particle must also be emitted, and why is this particle particularly difficult to detect?
A
An antineutrino, because it interacts only via weak and gravitational forces
B
A neutrino, because it has no electric charge
C
An antineutrino, because it has zero rest mass
D
A neutrino, because it travels at exactly the speed of light
Question Leaderboard
Not enough data yet to show leaderboard.