What is the Relationship Between Quark Size and Electric Charge?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the relationship between quark size and electric charge, exploring theoretical implications and the nature of quarks in the context of quantum field theory and charge interactions. It includes mathematical modeling, conceptual clarifications, and speculative reasoning.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes a mathematical model to calculate the mass and size of quarks based on the assumption that they are spheres of charge, suggesting that this challenges the point-like nature of charges in quantum field theory.
  • Another participant discusses Coulomb's law and its similarities to other force laws, noting that quarks possess fractional electric charges and require the concept of color charge for their interactions, which deviates from inverse square laws.
  • A different participant raises the uncertainty regarding whether the color force influences electric charge at scales smaller than 10^-18 meters.
  • One participant invites further exploration of concepts like asymptotic freedom and infrared slavery in relation to the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of quarks, with some challenging the point-like assumption while others maintain that quarks and leptons are still considered point-particles. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of quark size on electric charge.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes limitations such as the dependence on specific mathematical models, the unresolved nature of the color force's influence at small scales, and the assumptions underlying the proposed equations.

kurious
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When I use the following equation which assumes quarks are spheres of charge and compressing the spheres creates mass (by doing work):
mass of quark = integral of ( k q ^2 / r^2 c^ 2 ) d r

and input masses from the mass equation I arrived at by trial and error a few months ago

Mass = [12.50 x 10^3pi (n – 5) / 2 0] x ( n – 4 )^ 2 x 10^ 39 ( n – 3 ) / 2 x 10^57 x q ^n

I get radius of up quark,charm quark and top quark to be around 10^-18,
10^-19 and 10^-22 metres respectively.

If I am right this means that the assumption of quantum field theory that charges are pointlike is incorrect.However the integral only allows me to obtain the difference 1/r1 -1/r2 where r1 is initial radius and r2 is compressed radius of a sphere.Can anyone think of a way to get r1 for a quark?
 
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The property of electric charge is related to the concept of a force as shown by Coulomb's law.

Coulomb's law is of the same form as Newton's law of universal gravitation and Biot-Savart law of magnetism. The form is the inverse square of distance.

When it comes to quarks (quarks are fractionally electric charges), a new kind of charge is needed, namely the color charges called gluons, to explain the interaction of quarks with each other. This is not of the same form as the inverse square laws mentioned above. This force law of the quarks is still much of an open question although many theories such as QCD and the Standard Model have good explanations.

But still, the quarks and the leptons remain as point-particles.
 
Nobody knows if the colour force dominates electricity at less than 10^-18 metres!
 
Do you have any idea by using the concepts of asymptotic freedom and infrared slavery? I will try to think about it.
 

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