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Z boson

 
Dictionary: Z boson
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n.
An elementary particle that has a mass 182,000 times that of the electron, is electrically neutral, and constitutes the quantum of weak interactions in which the charges of participating particles do not change. Also called Z particle.


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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Z particle
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Electrically neutral carrier of the weak force and the neutral partner of the electrically charged W particle. It is nearly 100 times more massive than the proton and has a lifetime of only about 10-25 second. Z particles were first observed in 1983 by Carlo Rubbia and Simon van der Meer at CERN. Further studies have shown a natural variation in mass that is related to the particle's lifetime through the uncertainty principle. Measurements show that when Z particles decay to neutrino-antineutrino pairs (see pair production), they produce only three types of lightweight neutrino, indicating that there are only three sets each of leptons and quarks.

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more