Fundamental particle decaying into composite particles? [Archive]

pristy@excite.com

Sep12-04, 02:24 AM

<jabberwocky><div class="vbmenu_control"><a href="jabberwocky:;" onClick="newWindow=window.open('','usenetCode','toolbar=no, location=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=no ,width=650,height=400'); newWindow.document.write('<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Usenet ASCII</TITLE></HEAD><BODY topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 BGCOLOR=#F1F1F1><table border=0 width=625><td bgcolor=midnightblue><font color=#F1F1F1>This Usenet message\'s original ASCII form: </font></td></tr><tr><td width=449><br><br><font face=courier><UL><PRE>Is it possible for the "fundamental" particle of a quantum field\n(obtained from the interaction picture) to decay into bound particles\nless massive than it? I know it\'s possible to have bound states which\nare less massive than the constituent particles.\n\n</UL></PRE></font></td></tr></table></BODY><HTML>');"> <IMG SRC=/images/buttons/ip.gif BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER ALT="View this Usenet post in original ASCII form">  View this Usenet post in original ASCII form </a></div><P></jabberwocky>Is it possible for the "fundamental" particle of a quantum field
(obtained from the interaction picture) to decay into bound particles
less massive than it? I know it's possible to have bound states which
are less massive than the constituent particles.

Arnold Neumaier

Sep20-04, 01:43 PM

<jabberwocky><div class="vbmenu_control"><a href="jabberwocky:;" onClick="newWindow=window.open('','usenetCode','toolbar=no, location=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=no ,width=650,height=400'); newWindow.document.write('<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Usenet ASCII</TITLE></HEAD><BODY topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 BGCOLOR=#F1F1F1><table border=0 width=625><td bgcolor=midnightblue><font color=#F1F1F1>This Usenet message\'s original ASCII form: </font></td></tr><tr><td width=449><br><br><font face=courier><UL><PRE>\npristy@excite.com wrote:\n> Is it possible for the "fundamental" particle of a quantum field\n> (obtained from the interaction picture) to decay into bound particles\n> less massive than it? I know it\'s possible to have bound states which\n> are less massive than the constituent particles.\n>\n\nA top quark is considered fundamental but it decays.\nThere should be a nonzero probability that it decays into a meson\n(bound state) and a lighter quark.\n\n\nArnold Neumaier\n\n\n</UL></PRE></font></td></tr></table></BODY><HTML>');"> <IMG SRC=/images/buttons/ip.gif BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER ALT="View this Usenet post in original ASCII form">  View this Usenet post in original ASCII form </a></div><P></jabberwocky>pristy@excite.com wrote:
> Is it possible for the "fundamental" particle of a quantum field
> (obtained from the interaction picture) to decay into bound particles
> less massive than it? I know it's possible to have bound states which
> are less massive than the constituent particles.
>

A top quark is considered fundamental but it decays.
There should be a nonzero probability that it decays into a meson
(bound state) and a lighter quark.

Arnold Neumaier