What are leptons? Give examples.

Leptons are fundamental particles that do not experience strong nuclear force. Examples include electrons and neutrinos.

Leptons are one of the two main categories of fundamental particles, the other being quarks. They are not made up of smaller particles and do not experience strong nuclear force, which means they do not interact with other particles through the strong force. Leptons are divided into three generations, with each generation consisting of a charged lepton and a neutrino. The first generation includes the electron and electron neutrino, the second generation includes the muon and muon neutrino, and the third generation includes the tau and tau neutrino.

The electron is the most well-known lepton and is found in atoms, where it orbits the nucleus. The electron has a negative charge and a mass of approximately 9.11 x 10^-31 kg. The electron neutrino is a neutral particle that is produced in certain types of radioactive decay and in the sun. It has a very small mass and interacts only weakly with matter.

Other examples of leptons include the muon and tau, which are heavier versions of the electron, and their corresponding neutrinos. Leptons are important in particle physics as they are used to study the weak force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature. They are also important in astrophysics, where neutrinos are used to study the properties of the sun and other celestial bodies.