Producing Top Quark & Anti-Top Quark: How Much Energy?

In summary, the conversation discusses the production of a top quark and anti-top quark pair through a collision between a proton and an antiproton. The top quark has a mass of 174 GeV/c2 and the goal is to determine the required energy in the center of mass frame for this production to occur. The initial and final masses are considered, as well as the potential need to account for relativistic principles and kinetic energy of the colliding particles.
  • #1
eden2291
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0

Homework Statement



Consider a proton and antiproton collision. The goal is to produce a top quark and anti-top quark pair.

A top quark has a mass of 174 GeV/c2

How much energy is required in the center of mass frame to produce the combination?

The Attempt at a Solution



I'm somewhat utterly stumped. Obviously, the problem deals with a collision (I'd assume inelastic since the pair derived from the collision is a single mass?) in which relativistic principles need to be taken into consideration.

So, my feeble initial attempt is to find the initial versus final mass, wherein:
Minitial=2(proton mass)
Mfinal=2(top-quark mass)

And then compensate for the increase in energy by finding the kinetic energy of the colliding protons. But again, this is little more than a guess.

THANKS FOR THE HELP!
 
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  • #2

1. What is the top quark and anti-top quark?

The top quark and anti-top quark are two elementary particles that make up the top quark-antiquark pair, also known as the top quark-antitop quark pair. They are the heaviest known fundamental particles in the Standard Model of particle physics, with a mass of around 173 GeV/c².

2. How are top quarks and anti-top quarks produced?

Top quarks and anti-top quarks can be produced through high-energy particle collisions, such as those that occur at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. They can also be created through the decay of other particles, such as the Higgs boson.

3. How much energy is needed to produce top quarks and anti-top quarks?

The exact amount of energy needed to produce top quarks and anti-top quarks depends on the specific collision process and the energy of the particles involved. Generally, very high energies on the order of trillions of electron volts (TeV) are needed to produce top quark-antitop quark pairs.

4. What is the significance of producing top quarks and anti-top quarks?

Studying the production of top quarks and anti-top quarks can provide valuable insights into the fundamental nature of matter and the forces that govern it. It can also help us better understand the early universe and the conditions that existed shortly after the Big Bang.

5. Are there any practical applications for producing top quarks and anti-top quarks?

While there are currently no direct practical applications for producing top quarks and anti-top quarks, the research and technology used in the process can have indirect benefits, such as advancements in particle accelerator technology and computing techniques.

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