Leptons are fundamental particles that do not experience strong interactions, one of the four fundamental forces in nature. They are a key component of the Standard Model of particle physics, which describes how particles interact. The most well-known leptons include the electron, muon, and tau, each of which has an associated neutrino: electron neutrino, muon neutrino, and tau neutrino.
Leptons are unique because they have half-integer spin, classifying them as fermions. They play a crucial role in various processes, including beta decay and the interactions of neutrinos in astrophysical phenomena. Understanding leptons helps scientists explore the fundamental structure of matter and the universe.