Mass of massless particles

In summary, massless particles are particles that have no rest mass and travel at the speed of light. They can exist and have energy in the form of kinetic, electric, and magnetic energy. They also have physical properties such as momentum, spin, and interactions with other particles. They are detected through their interactions with other particles.
  • #1
arivero
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I have remembered Witten had a trick to see massless particles in 4+n dimensions as if it were massive particles in 4 dimensions.

Does the trick works for any number of extra dimensions? Or only for 4+n=10?
 
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  • #2
I think the trick was in
"Search for a Realistic Kaluza-Klein Theory"
Edward Witten (Princeton U.) . PRINT-81-00
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?j=NUPHA,B186,412 [Broken]
 
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  • #3


The trick proposed by Witten is known as the Kaluza-Klein mechanism, which aims to explain the existence of massless particles in higher dimensions by compactifying the extra dimensions. This allows for the apparent masslessness of particles in higher dimensions to be seen as a result of their motion in the compactified dimensions, rather than their intrinsic properties.

The Kaluza-Klein mechanism can be applied to any number of extra dimensions, not just 4+n=10. In fact, it has been used to explain the masslessness of particles in theories with 11 or even 26 dimensions. However, the specific details and predictions of the mechanism may vary depending on the number of extra dimensions and the particular theory being considered.

Overall, the trick proposed by Witten is a useful tool for understanding the behavior of massless particles in higher dimensions, but its application may depend on the specific context and theory being studied. Further research and experimentation is necessary to fully understand the properties and behavior of particles in higher dimensions.
 

1. What are massless particles?

Massless particles are particles that have no rest mass, meaning they do not have any physical weight or mass. They are also known as massless particles because they travel at the speed of light and therefore have no momentum.

2. Can massless particles exist?

Yes, massless particles can exist. In fact, many particles in the Standard Model of particle physics, such as photons, gluons, and gravitons, are considered to be massless.

3. How can massless particles have energy if they have no mass?

According to Einstein's famous equation, E=mc², energy and mass are equivalent. Massless particles have energy in the form of kinetic energy, or energy of motion. They also have other types of energy, such as electric and magnetic energy.

4. Do massless particles have any physical properties?

Yes, massless particles have physical properties such as energy, momentum, and spin. They also have properties related to their interactions with other particles, such as charge and color charge.

5. How are massless particles detected?

Massless particles are typically detected through their interactions with other particles. For example, photons can be detected through their interactions with charged particles, while neutrinos can be detected through their interactions with matter.

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