Pion Constituents: Nucleon & Antinucleon Explained

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In summary, the pion is not a combination of nucleon and antinucleon, but rather a meson composed of a quark and an antiquark. This is determined by the electric charge of the pion. The concept of describing the nucleon as a chiral soliton in a pionic field is also discussed, with the caveat that it is a model with its own approximations and may not be justified from a fundamental perspective. The book "Introduction to Elementary Particles" by Griffiths is recommended for further understanding.
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ruchika
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The nucleon and antinucleon are each about seven times more massive than the pion How is it conceivable that the pion could be a combination of nucleon and antinucleon
 
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You are exactly correct, the pion is not made up of a nucleon and an antinucleon. The pion is a meson and is composed of a quark and an antiquark. In the case of a pion, it is made up of up and down (anti)quarks. Whether it is a positive, negative or neutral (electric) charged pion determines whether the up or down (or a linear combination) is quark or antiquark.

You should consider picking up Griffiths "Introduction to Elementary Particles." It is an excellent book.
 
  • #3
What is conceivable, is to describe the nucleon as a chiral soliton in a pionic field, where the scalar and pseudoscalar Goldstone meson are treated as if elementary. Please note that this is a (convenient, powerful, elegant, appealing ?) model which neither ignores its own approximations (those fields are not fundamental) nor can not be at least partially justified from a more fundamental point of view. In particular, it attempts to treat spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking effectively.
 

1. What are pion constituents?

Pion constituents are subatomic particles that make up a pion, which is a type of meson particle. They are composed of quarks and antiquarks, specifically an up quark and an anti-down quark for a positive pion, or a down quark and an anti-up quark for a negative pion.

2. What are nucleons and antinucleons?

Nucleons are the building blocks of atomic nuclei, consisting of protons and neutrons. Antinucleons are the antiparticles of nucleons, composed of anti-protons and anti-neutrons. They have the same mass as their corresponding nucleons, but opposite charges.

3. How are nucleons and antinucleons related to pions?

Nucleons and antinucleons can combine with pions to form different types of mesons. For example, a proton and a pion can combine to form a delta-plus meson, while an anti-proton and a pion can form an anti-delta-minus meson. This process is known as pion exchange and plays a crucial role in the strong nuclear force.

4. What is the significance of nucleon-antinucleon pairs in pion constituents?

The existence of nucleon-antinucleon pairs in pion constituents helps explain the strong nuclear force, which binds protons and neutrons together in an atomic nucleus. Pions, which are made up of these pairs, are exchanged between nucleons, creating a force that holds them together.

5. How do pion constituents contribute to our understanding of the universe?

Pion constituents are an important part of the Standard Model of particle physics, which helps us understand the fundamental components of the universe. By studying pions and their interactions with nucleons and antinucleons, scientists can gain insight into the nature of matter and the forces that govern the universe.

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