Understanding Quark Interactions in Electron-Proton Fusion

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter taylordnz
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Electrons Quarks
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the interactions between electrons and protons during fusion processes, specifically exploring the role of quarks and other particles involved in these interactions. Participants examine theoretical frameworks and equations related to electron-proton fusion, including concepts from particle physics such as leptoquarks and boson interactions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion over the equations related to electron-proton fusion and questions the presence of quarks in electrons.
  • Another participant references the inverse beta decay process, providing a specific equation to illustrate the interaction between protons and electrons.
  • A participant seeks clarification on what particles constitute an electron, emphasizing the need for a broader understanding beyond quarks.
  • Discussion includes the mention of leptoquarks as hypothetical particles that could bridge the properties of leptons and quarks, although their existence is not established.
  • One participant details the interaction involving a massive vector boson, explaining how it facilitates the conversion of an up quark to a down quark and the conservation of quantum numbers during the process.
  • Equations relating to charge, isospin, hypercharge, and lepton number conservation are presented, with a request for feedback on potential errors in the calculations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints regarding the nature of electron-proton interactions, with no consensus reached on the specifics of quark involvement or the implications of the proposed models.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the complexity of the interactions and the need for careful consideration of quantum numbers and conservation laws, but some steps in the reasoning remain unresolved or contingent on further verification.

taylordnz
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
when electrons and protons fuse to canel out each others charge it seems my equations dotn add up, i need to know what quarks are in electrons.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Originally posted by taylordnz
when electrons and protons fuse to canel out each others charge it seems my equations dotn add up, i need to know what quarks are in electrons.
The inverse beta decay is

[itex]p + e^- \rightarrow n + \nu_e[/itex]

- Warren
 
but what i mean if it dosent have any quarks is what particles does an electron contain. (great equation but i need it also ned diffrent particles in the electron)
 
There's a hypothetical particle called leptoquark that should be an hybrid between a lepton (the electron is a lepton), and a quark, but it's just that, hypothetical
 
Last edited:
An electron and a proton couple via a massive vector boson, resulting in the neutron and a neutrino, just as chroot showed. The underlying interaction with the boson and the proton causes an up quark to be converted into a down quark, reversing the isospin magnitude of the affected nucleon. A neutrino remains from the electron interacting via W-. So the basic flavor change gives us a sort of equivalence statement;

e- --> W- + v~e

and

W- --> d + -u

where e- is the electron, W- the weak boson involved, v~e the electron-neutrino, d the "down" quark, and -u is the antiquark to the "up" quark. So;

d + -u <--> W- <--> e- + v~e

is sort of an equivalence statement, but it is probably best to deal with this in terms of quantum numbers, rather than particle addition. You can set up the problem so that Q, I~3, Y, and L are conserved. Q is the electric charge, I~3 is the eigenvalue of isospin, Y is the hypercharge, and L is the lepton number. Y is a composite that includes only b, the baryon number, in this case. These quantities are related by the equations;

Q = I~3 + Y,
Y = b/2

and

Q = I~3 + L/2

For the proton, Q = 1, I~3 = 1/2, b = 1. For the neutron, Q = 0, I~3 = -1/2, and b = 1. For the W- boson, Q = -1, I~3 = -1, and b = 0. For the e-, Q = -1, I~3 = -1/2, and L = -1. For the v~e, Q = 0, I~3 = 1/2, and L = -1. Try it out, and you'll find that it should conserve all of these quantities; if it doesn't, then I made a mistake somewhere that I haven't seen as yet, so let me know if it breaks down somewhere.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
4K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
4K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
4K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K