Quark Confinement Period, a Question.

Charm 1600 MevTop 176000 MevBottom 5000 MevIn summary, during the Period of ~10*-12seconds -to- ~10*-5seconds, quarks became confined and able to bind into baryons like protons and neutrons. This was possible because as the average photon's energy (kT) dropped below 1 GeV, the collision energies were weak enough to allow for binding. However, it is questioned how quarks with rest masses well above 1 GeV, such as the Bottom and Strange Quarks with a combined mass of 5560 MeV, could still bind. This does not take into account their relativistic momentums, which would
  • #1
Chaos' lil bro Order
683
2
Greetings,

I've read that Quarks became confined and able to bind into baryons like protons and neutrons in the Period of ~10*-12seconds -to- ~10*-5seconds. Its been stated that as the average photon's energy in this period (kT) dropped below about 1 GeV, that quarks could finally bind to each other since collision energies were sufficiently weak to allow such binding...

My Question then is this, given that the 6 known Quarks have these energies:

Up 340MeV
Down 340MeV
Charm 1500MeV
Strange 560MeV
Top 174000MeV
Bottom 5000MeV

How is it possible for, say, a Bottom and Strange Quark to bind if their combined rest masses are already well above 1 GeV (they are 5560MeV combined)? Also, this doesn't even consider their Relativistic momentums which would make their masses much greater as they approach velocities near C.

If anyone could explain why 1 GeV is the apparent threshold for Quark confinement in terms of the Rest Masses of these Quarks and their Relativisitc collision energies, I would greatly appreciate it. If you could provide a good analogy in conjunction with the mathematical framework and formulas, even better.

Thank you kindly,

Paul
 
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  • #2
correction

Up 360 MeV
Down 360 Mev
Strange 540 Mev
 
  • #3


Hello Paul,

Thank you for your question about the Quark Confinement Period. I am not a physicist, but I will try my best to provide a response based on my understanding of the concept.

Firstly, it is important to note that the energies listed for the quarks (Up, Down, Charm, Strange, Top, and Bottom) are their rest masses, which means the energy they possess when they are at rest. However, during the Quark Confinement Period, the quarks are not at rest, they are moving at high speeds and colliding with each other.

During this period, the average photon's energy (kT) drops below 1 GeV, which means that the energy of the photons is not enough to create new particles. This is an important factor in the confinement of quarks. When two quarks collide, they can only combine and form a new particle if the energy of the collision is enough to overcome the strong force that holds them together. This energy threshold is known as the binding energy.

Now, let's take the example of a Bottom and Strange quark binding together. As you mentioned, their combined rest masses are 5560MeV, which is well above the 1 GeV threshold. However, during the Quark Confinement Period, the quarks are moving at high speeds, which means they have relativistic momentum. This momentum increases their effective mass, making it much greater than their rest mass. This increased mass, along with the energy of the collision, can provide enough energy to overcome the strong force and bind the quarks together.

In terms of an analogy, think of two cars colliding on a highway. The cars have their own individual masses, but when they collide, their combined mass increases due to the force of the impact. Similarly, the quarks have their own individual rest masses, but when they collide at high speeds, their combined mass increases due to their relativistic momentum.

I hope this explanation helps to answer your question. If you would like to dive deeper into the mathematical framework and formulas, I suggest consulting a physicist or a physics textbook on the subject. Thank you for your question and interest in the Quark Confinement Period.

 

What is the Quark Confinement Period?

The Quark Confinement Period is a concept in particle physics that refers to the time after the Big Bang when the universe was too hot and dense for quarks to exist as free particles. During this time, quarks were confined within larger particles called hadrons.

How long did the Quark Confinement Period last?

The Quark Confinement Period is estimated to have lasted for about 10^-5 seconds after the Big Bang.

What evidence do we have for the Quark Confinement Period?

Scientists have studied the behavior of particles in high-energy accelerators and have observed that quarks cannot exist as free particles. This is strong evidence for the existence of the Quark Confinement Period in the early universe.

What happens to quarks after the Quark Confinement Period?

After the Quark Confinement Period ended, the universe began to cool and expand, allowing quarks to combine and form larger particles such as protons and neutrons. This eventually led to the formation of atoms and the creation of the universe as we know it.

Why is the Quark Confinement Period important?

The Quark Confinement Period is important because it helps us understand the fundamental building blocks of the universe and how they interacted in the early stages of its formation. It also provides insight into the strong nuclear force, which is responsible for holding quarks together within hadrons.

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