Is there a quanta of rest mass? say multiples of electron mass?

In summary, neutrinos have a small rest mass that was first discovered through their oscillation between different flavors. This was evidence that they are not massless. The reason for their small mass is explained by the seesaw mechanism, which proposes that at high energy levels, there are both left and right handed neutrinos in pairs, but only the left handed ones are observed at lower energy levels. There is no evidence to suggest that the rest mass of particles in the standard model is quantized, as the mass of the electron is not a multiple of other particles' masses. However, there are strong formulas that relate the masses of different particles, but no accepted explanation for these formulas.
  • #1
bananan
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do particles of the standard model have rest mass that is quantized, and comes in quantas of mass, with i imagine the electron being the lowest that have rest mass (the neutrino does not appearl to have a rest mass)

?

please move to other more appropriate forum
 
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  • #2
bananan said:
do particles of the standard model have rest mass that is quantized, and comes in quantas of mass, with i imagine the electron being the lowest that have rest mass (the neutrino does not appearl to have a rest mass)

?

please move to other more appropriate forum

You're behind the times. Not only does the neutrino have a small mass, but it participates in one observed and one hypothetical exchange with regard to its mass.

First the observed one: you know there are really three "flavors" of neutrino, one each associated with the electron, the muon, and the tauon, the three flavors of charged lepton. And these three can actually oscillate, their wave functions turning from one into another. They couldn't do this if they were massless, so the discovery that they do (first hypothesized to explain the "solar neutrino deficit" found by the old neutrino detector in the Homestake Gold mine, and then confirmed at Super Kamiokande in Japan and at other detectors), is the reason they are now believed to have mass.

And then the hypothetical one. It is needed to explain why the neutrinos have such a small mass, so small it was taken to be zero until the oscillation forced the issue. The proposed answer is the "seesaw mechanism": Suppose that at the pure high energy level where all the quiddities of the standard model smooth out, there are both right and left handed neutrinos, and that they come in pairs, one of each handedness per pair. And they would have zero mass at this high energy level. But as the energy fell, this symmetry would be broken; Only one handedness would be observed (left-) and mass would be acquired. Now the math says the mass would come in by pair, to be shared between the members; but as it plays out not shared equally. The nonobserved right handed neutrino would get the lion's share with only a shred of mass left over for the observed left handed neutrino.

As to your main question, there's no evidence for it as far as I know. The electron is the lightest particle except the neutrinos, but the quarks are not some even multiple of electron mass as their charge is (1/3) of electron charge. Note however the thread "All the Lepton Masses" on the high energy forum; there are strong formulas relating the masses of different particles. Currently there is no accepted explanation of these formulas, and many physicists dismiss themm as "mere numerology".
 
  • #3


I can provide some information about the concept of rest mass and its relationship to particles in the standard model.

Firstly, rest mass is a fundamental property of particles that describes their inertia and resistance to acceleration. It is different from relativistic mass, which takes into account the effects of velocity on an object's mass.

In the standard model of particle physics, all particles are believed to have rest mass, including the electron. However, the exact value of the rest mass for each particle is not known and is currently being studied and measured by experiments such as the Large Hadron Collider.

In terms of quantization, it is important to note that the standard model does not predict a specific value for the rest mass of a particle. Rather, it allows for a range of possible values within certain limits. This means that while the electron may be the lightest particle with rest mass, it is not the only one with a quantized rest mass.

Additionally, the concept of quantization in relation to rest mass is still an area of active research and there is currently no consensus among scientists on whether rest mass is truly quantized or not. Some theories, such as string theory, suggest that rest mass may be quantized at a very small scale, but this has not been confirmed by experiments.

In summary, while particles in the standard model are believed to have rest mass, the exact values are still being studied and the concept of quantization in relation to rest mass is still a topic of ongoing research.
 

1. What is a quanta of rest mass?

A quanta of rest mass refers to the smallest unit of mass that an object can possess while at rest, according to the principles of quantum mechanics. It is also known as the rest mass or invariant mass of an object.

2. Is the quanta of rest mass a multiple of an electron's mass?

Yes, the quanta of rest mass is typically measured in terms of the mass of an electron, which is considered to be the standard unit of mass in quantum mechanics. However, there are cases where the quanta of rest mass may not be a multiple of an electron's mass, as it depends on the specific properties of the object in question.

3. Can an object have a rest mass that is not a multiple of an electron's mass?

Yes, there are certain particles and objects that have a rest mass that is not a multiple of an electron's mass. This is because the rest mass of an object is determined by its specific properties, such as its energy and momentum, and not all objects have the same properties as an electron.

4. How is the quanta of rest mass related to other forms of mass?

The quanta of rest mass is related to other forms of mass, such as relativistic mass and invariant mass, through the principles of special relativity. These forms of mass are all different ways of measuring an object's mass, and they may differ depending on the object's speed and reference frame.

5. Why is the concept of a quanta of rest mass important in quantum mechanics?

The concept of a quanta of rest mass is important in quantum mechanics because it helps to explain the behavior and properties of particles at the subatomic level. It also plays a crucial role in understanding the concept of mass-energy equivalence and the formation of matter. Without the concept of a quanta of rest mass, many phenomena in quantum mechanics would remain unexplained.

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