Muon scattering

Muon scattering occurs when muons—particles similar to electrons but heavier—pass through matter. As they travel, they interact with atoms, especially their electric fields, causing their paths to slightly change direction. These small deviations help scientists understand the structure of materials and detect hidden objects, much like how X-rays reveal the contents of a sealed box. Muon scattering is useful because muons are highly penetrating, allowing observation of dense or thick materials that other particles can’t easily penetrate. This phenomenon is widely used in fields like archaeology, security, and physics research to analyze materials nondestructively.