Do protons have excited states?

In summary, the conversation discusses the potential existence of excited states for protons and neutrons and their relation to different shapes and energy states. It is suggested that Delta baryons may serve as the equivalent to excited atoms, but it is unclear if there are other excited states. The existence of short-lived particles and resonances is also mentioned. The conversation also mentions the presence of various excited states for nucleons and their classification based on isospin, mass, and spin. It is unclear if the different shapes of protons are related to different energy states.
  • #1
Khashishi
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Do protons and neutrons have excited states?
This page shows some simulated shapes of protons. http://discovermagazine.com/2003/aug/breakprotons
Do the different shapes have to do with different energy states of the proton?
 
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  • #2
Delta baryons are a bit like hadronic equivalents to excited atoms.

I'm not sure what the shapes are supposed to represent, and the description is not helpful in that respect. The ground state does not have to be a perfect sphere...
 
  • #3
Interesting. If Delta^0 and Delta^+ are excited states of neutrons and protons, are there other (maybe infinite) excited states? Maybe they are too short-lived to be detected?
I suppose by analogy to atomic physics that the Delta states are metastable, sort of like metastable He triplet state. But it should be possible to get excited states with spin 1/2, right? Maybe it's too short-lived?
 
  • #4
There are a lot of short-living particles and resonances (there is no clear line between them). The particle data group has a list of them (-> baryons -> N baryons and -> baryons -> Delta baryons).
 
  • #5
Khashishi said:
Interesting. If Delta^0 and Delta^+ are excited states of neutrons and protons, are there other (maybe infinite) excited states? Maybe they are too short-lived to be detected?
I suppose by analogy to atomic physics that the Delta states are metastable, sort of like metastable He triplet state. But it should be possible to get excited states with spin 1/2, right? Maybe it's too short-lived?

The Deltas are not excited states of the nucleons because they have different isospins. but there are plenty of excited states of the nucleons typically listed as N(E)JP where E the (average) mass for the isospin multiplet measured in MeV, J is the total angular momentum and P is the Parity. For instance N(1440)1/2+ is the isospin doublet with average mass of 1440 MeVs, spin 1/2 and + parity. PDG lists about 30 of those excited states.
 
  • #6
Khashishi said:
Do protons and neutrons have excited states?
This page shows some simulated shapes of protons. http://discovermagazine.com/2003/aug/breakprotons
Do the different shapes have to do with different energy states of the proton?

http://www.lbl.gov/abc/wallchart/teachersguide/pdf/Chap06.pdf

Zz.
 

1. What are excited states of protons?

Excited states of protons refer to the higher energy levels that protons can occupy within an atom. These energy levels are quantized and can be reached when a proton absorbs energy, such as through collisions or absorption of photons.

2. How do protons reach excited states?

Protons can reach excited states through various processes, including collisions with other particles, absorption of photons, or through nuclear reactions. The specific process depends on the energy level and the environment in which the proton is located.

3. Do all protons have excited states?

Yes, all protons have excited states. However, the energy levels of these states vary depending on the type of atom and the environment in which the proton is located.

4. What is the significance of excited states of protons?

Excited states of protons play a crucial role in many physical and chemical processes. For example, they are essential in the formation of chemical bonds, the emission of light in stars, and the functioning of various technologies, such as lasers and nuclear reactors.

5. Can protons stay in excited states forever?

No, protons cannot stay in excited states forever. Eventually, they will release the excess energy and return to their ground state. The time it takes for a proton to return to its ground state varies depending on the energy level and the environment.

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