Can Protons or Positrons Flow as a Current?

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SUMMARY

Protons and positrons can indeed flow as a current, defined as any flow of charge. In particle accelerators, high-energy proton beams are accelerated in opposite directions until they collide, demonstrating a form of current. Additionally, in plasma, both electrons and positive ions flow under an applied voltage, allowing for the movement of positive charges. This contrasts with solid conductors, where positive ions are fixed in the crystal lattice and only electrons are mobile.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of particle accelerators and their operation
  • Knowledge of plasma physics and ionized gases
  • Familiarity with electric current definitions and types
  • Basic concepts of solid-state physics regarding charge mobility
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the operation of particle accelerators, focusing on proton collisions
  • Explore the properties and behavior of plasma in various applications
  • Study the differences between solid conductors and gaseous conductors
  • Learn about the role of magnetic fields in confining charged particles
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Physicists, electrical engineers, and students interested in advanced concepts of charge flow and particle physics.

lufc88
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Instead of electrical current could there ever be a situation where protons or positrons are made to flow as a current?
 
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lufc88 said:
Instead of electrical current could there ever be a situation where protons or positrons are made to flow as a current?

Any flow of charge constitutes a current, and I think you might even call it an "electric" current, even if it doesn't consist of electrons.

In particle accelerators, two beams of high energy protons (confined by magnetic fields) are accelerated around a ring in opposite directions until they collide into each other. I'm not sure about a situation in which there is a positron current.

In a plasma (like the ionized gas in a fluorescent light tube or one of those Geiger counters), both the electrons and the positive ions flow under the presence of an applied voltage (they just flow in opposite directions). It's only in a solid (as opposed to gaseous) conductor that the positive ions are restricted to be in the crystal lattice and only the electrons are mobile. So a plasma is another situation where you have a flow of positive charges.
 

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