A neutrino (/ njuːˈtriːnoʊ / new-TREE-noh; denoted by the Greek letter ν) is an elementary particle that interacts via the weak interaction and gravity. [2][3] The neutrino is so named because it is electrically neutral and because its rest mass is so small (-ino) that it was long thought to be zero.
Physicist Enrico Fermi popularized the name “neutrino”, which is Italian for “little neutral one.” Neutrinos are denoted by the Greek symbol ν, or nu (pronounced “new”). But not all neutrinos are the same. They come in different types and can be thought of in terms of flavors, masses, and energies. Some are antimatter versions.
Neutrino, elementary subatomic particle with no electric charge, very little mass, and 12 unit of spin. Neutrinos belong to the family of particles called leptons, which are not subject to the strong force.
The neutrino is perhaps the best-named particle in the Standard Model of Particle Physics: it is tiny, neutral, and weighs so little that no one has been able to measure its mass. Neutrinos are the most abundant particles that have mass in the universe.
Some elementary particles, such as the electron, are relatively well understood, while others, such as the elusive neutrino, present the physics community with many unanswered questions.
Fermilab is the host lab for the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, DUNE. We hope this site will serve as a resource for all those intrigued by the mysterious neutrinos that are traveling above, below, and through us.
Enrico Fermi, father of the world's first nuclear reactor, popularized the term "neutrino." It is Italian for "little neutral one," summing up key properties of the neutrino: it's lack of charge and it's incredibly tiny size.