Antiparticles of Standard Model gauge bosons

Click For Summary
All elementary bosons, except for the W boson, are their own antiparticles, but the situation with gluons is more complex due to their color charge. Under CPT transformation, gluons do not have straightforward antiparticles; rather, they can be considered their own antiparticles in certain contexts. The W bosons, W+ and W-, are indeed antiparticles of each other, a relationship that arises from their construction as complex conjugates. Before electroweak symmetry breaking, the fundamental gauge bosons are their own antiparticles, but this changes post-symmetry breaking, leading to the W bosons being distinct antiparticles. Overall, the distinction between particles and antiparticles in gauge bosons is nuanced and depends on their representation in quantum field theory.
  • #31
Might I open a slightly different manner of query that might have some resolution?

It could very well be that this idea is not very good. If so, I would like to know why, in the language that even a non-particle physicist would understand.

We could represent a standard model particle ##P## as ##P=a X_1 + b X_2 + c X_3## having ##SU(3)## symmetry, requiring that ##a^2+b^2+c^2=1##, 'cause there is just one particle.

Generally, for ##P## having ##SU(n)## symmetry then there are ##n## terms, right?

Given that all this is not too stupid, what is the action of the operator ##CPT## on ##P## ? I have no idea how to apply the action of ##C##, ##P##, and then ##T ## is applied.

Say ## \bar{P} = CPT(P)##. I assume that if ##\bar{P} = P##, then ##P## is it's own antiparticle and for all standard model particles, ##(CPT)^2 P = P##.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
stedwards said:
Say P¯=CPT(P) \bar{P} = CPT(P). I assume that if P¯=P\bar{P} = P, then PP is it's own antiparticle and for all standard model particles, (CPT)2P=P(CPT)^2 P = P.

You don't need the invariance under CPT to have particle=antiparticle... In fact any particle in the Standard Model should be invariant under CPT.
For the particle= antiparticle you have the action of C alone.
 
  • #33
ChrisVer said:
You don't need the invariance under CPT to have particle=antiparticle... In fact any particle in the Standard Model should be invariant under CPT.
For the particle= antiparticle you have the action of C alone.

Say, for example, ##\frac{i}{\sqrt{3}}R + \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}G - \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}B##, how would you apply charge conjugation?
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
16K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K