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Neutrino is an extremely tiny, electrically neutral subatomic particle with a spin of 1/2 unit. As they barely interact with matter, they are difficult to detect as it is almost negligible and hence considered to be zero. The rest mass of a neutrino is very small compared to the elementary particles. Discovered by Wolfgang Pauli in 1930, the name “Neutrino” was popularized in Science by the Italian Physicist Enrico Fermi.
Neutrinos are created via a variety of radioactive decays, including
- nuclear atomic beta decay
- when atoms are hit by accelerating particle beams
- in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators, artificial nuclear reactions
| Table of Content |
Key Terms: Neutrino, proton, neutron, lepton family, Neutrino Detector, muon neutrino, electron neutrino, tau neutrino
Origin of Neutrino
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Neutrino is formed during the process of nuclear fusion in the sun.
- Neutrino is generated when fusion events take away about 2% of the sun's energy.
- Radioactive disintegration of the earth's primordial elements is the natural source of neutrinos.
- Supernovae are largely a neutrino phenomenon. Only a small portion of the available energy is converted to light.
- Primordial Big Bang neutrinos make up a sizeable portion of the dark matter in the cosmos.
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Discovery of Neutrino
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An Austrian-Swiss physicist Wolfgang Pauli, proposed the neutrino in 1930 as a potential answer to two troublesome issues with a generally accepted model of the structure of the atomic nucleus, which utilised the two primary elements of matter then known: the electron and the proton. The neutral atom with atomic number Z and mass number A was meant to have Z electrons making up the atom's shells and A protons in its nucleus. This depiction seems plausible given that alpha particles from radioactive decay pushed protons out of light nuclei, and electrons escaped from the nucleus during beta-decay radioactivity.
Discovery of Neutrino
Types of Neutrino
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Neutrinos are considered to be leptons as they have only been observed to interact through the weak force. These weak interactions result in the production of neutrinos in three leptonic flavours:
- electron neutrino (νe): Zero electric charge and half spin describe the electron neutrino. The first generation of leptons is made up of the electron and the electron neutrino.
- muon neutrino (vμ): Zero electric charge and half spin describe the tau neutrino. Together, the Tau particle and Tau Neutrino make up the lepton family.
- tau neutrino (VT): Zero electric charge and half spin describe muon neutrinos . The second generation of leptons is made up of a muon particle and a muon neutrino.
Properties of Neutrino
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The properties of neutrinos are as follows:
- These neutrinos are members of the lepton family, which contains weakly interacting forces.
- Depending on the charged lepton they are linked with, there are three primary types of neutrinos.
- The electron, muon, and tau are the corresponding charged leptons.
- An antineutrino, which is an antimatter component of a neutrino, is also present.
- Because they are unaffected by electromagnetic forces, neutrinos do not ionize matter.
- Only very weak interaction forces are used by these neutrinos to interact with matter.
- These are the most invasive subatomic particles since they can also travel through a large number of atoms without igniting anything.
- A radiochemical neutrino detector uses this ability of the neutrinos to transform one nucleus into another.
Neutrino Detector
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A tool used in physics to investigate neutrinos and their interactions is a neutrino detector. Neutrino detectors are designed to explore these weak interactions because neutrinos are particles that only have weak interactions with other matter particles. They are often constructed underground to shield the detector from background radiation and cosmic rays.
Neutrinos have been detected using a variety of techniques. Heavy water is used as a detecting medium, and some detectives are made of gallium and huge amounts of chlorine. The amount of extra argon and germanium that are produced when neutrinos interact with the initial materials is periodically examined in these.
Uses of Neutrino
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The uses of neutrinos can be summarized as follows:
- This technology can be used to identify the presence of nuclear weapons because neutrinos are produced from radiation.
- It is used to verify dark matter's existence.
- It can facilitate the discovery of mineral resources using the neutrino spin as a basis.
- In a neutrino, binary coding can be used to encrypt communication.
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Things to Remember
- Neutrino can be referred to as the subatomic particles that resemble an electron.
- They have a very small mass which even might be a zero.
- Neutrinos are born during the process of nuclear fusion in the sun.
- Wolfgang Pauli discovered Neutrino in 1930, however, the name was popularized in the field of Science by the Italian Physicist Enrico Fermi.
- These Neutrinos belong to the family of leptons as this particle family has weak interactive forces.
- There exist three types of Neutrino: electron neutrino, muon neutrino and tau neutrino.
Previous Years’ Questions
- Fusion reaction takes place at high temperatures because… (NEET 2011)
- A radioisotope X with a half life 1.4 × 109 years decays to Y which is stable… (NEET 2014)
- A radioactive nucleus of mass… (NEET 2011)
- A nucleus of uranium decays at rest into nuclei of thorium and helium… (NEET 2015)
- A mixture consists of two radioactive materials… (NEET 2012)
- For a radioactive material, half-life is 10 minutes… (NEET 2018)
- When the number of nucleons in a nuclues increases the binding… (NEET 2013)
- Two nuclei have their mass numbers in the ratio of… (KEAM 2008)
- When a uranium isotope… (NEET 2020)
Sample Questions
Ques. Neutrinos have electric charge of: (2 marks)
a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3
Ans. The correct answer: 0
Explanation: A neutrino is a subatomic particle that is very similar to an electron. However, it has no electrical charge and a very small mass, which might even be zero.
Ques. In a nuclear process, the quantity conserved is: (2 marks)
a. Mass-energy
b. Momentum
c. Energy only
d. Mass only
Ans. The correct answer is: a
Explanation: In a nuclear reaction, mass is not conserved. The difference in masses of reactants and product nuclei, called the mass defect is converted to an equivalent amount of energy according to Einstien's equation E = mc2.
Ques. In β decay, the nucleon number is: (2 marks)
a. stable
b. not conserved
c. conserved
d. unstable
Ans. The correct answer: c
Explanation: Beta decay is a consequence of the weak force, that is characterized by relatively lengthy decay times.
Ques. What is a Neutrino? (2 marks)
Ans. A neutrino is an elementary subatomic particle with a mass close to zero and a half-integral spin, that rarely reacts with matter. These fermions then react due to weak interaction and gravity. The rest mass of a Neutrino is almost negligible and therefore considered to be zero.
Ques. What is a neutrino detector? (3 marks)
Ans. A neutrino detector is referred to as an apparatus used in physics in order to detect neutrinos and their interactions. A neutrino detector has been invented to study the weak interactions of the particles that only weakly interact with other matter particles. They are often constructed underground to shield the detector from background radiation and cosmic rays. Neutrinos have been detected using a variety of techniques. Heavy water is used as a detecting medium, and some detectives are made of gallium and huge amounts of chlorine.
Ques. what is neutrino and anti neutrino? (3 marks)
Ans. A neutrino, whose name translates as "little neutral one," is an elementary particle that often moves at speeds similar to those of light, is electrically neutral, and has the ability to almost completely pass through conventional matter. Because of this, neutrinos are very challenging to find. The mass of neutrinos is extremely small but not zero. Neutrinos, which are created during nuclear beta decay, have an antiparticle called an antineutrino. These are produced when a neutron transforms into a proton, which results in beta particle emissions.
Ques. What are the properties of neutrinos? (4 marks)
Ans. The properties of neutrinos can be summarized as follows:
- The neutrinos form the members of the lepton family, which contains weakly interacting forces.
- Depending on the charged lepton they are linked with, there are three primary types of neutrinos.
- The three leptonic flavours of Neutrino are electron neutrino, muon neutrino and tau neutrino.
- An antineutrino, which is an antimatter component of a neutrino, is also present.
Ques. Name the types of neutrino? (3 marks)
Ans. Neutrinos are leptons that are interacted through weak force. The weak interactions produced neutrinos in three leptonic flavours:
- electron neutrino (νe)
- muon neutrino (vμ)
- tau neutrino (vτ)τ
Ques. Where are Neutrinos found? (2 marks)
Ans. Neutrinos can be detected everywhere. They permeate the space all around us. Infact, they can be located throughout our galaxy.
Ques. Where are Neutrino observatories constructed? (2 marks)
Ans. Neutrino observatories are usually constructed underground in order to isolate the detector from background radiation and cosmic rays.
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