Can we observe particles growing in particle accelerators?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Sariaht
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Black holes Holes
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of particles gaining mass and potentially growing in size when subjected to high energies in particle accelerators. Participants explore various ideas related to the relationship between mass, surface area, and energy in the context of particle physics.

Discussion Character

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

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that when a particle is split into smaller particles, the mass of the resulting particles may increase in relation to their surface area.
  • Others challenge the idea that particles can be defined by surface area, questioning how one would measure it and whether it has any relevance to mass.
  • There are claims that particles gain mass when separated due to the energy associated with gravitational potential energy, as described by E = mc².
  • A participant suggests that if the surface area of a particle increases, its mass should also increase, leading to calculations about the smallest possible particle size.
  • Some argue that the concept of mass gain is independent of surface area and is more related to the energy of the particles involved.
  • There is a discussion about whether accelerating particles could lead to observable changes in size, with references to thought experiments and the nature of protons and other composite particles.
  • One participant mentions reading about the phenomenon of particles appearing to grow in size when accelerated, prompting further inquiry into the validity of this claim.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with no clear consensus on the relationship between mass, surface area, and energy. Some agree on the principles of mass-energy equivalence, while others dispute the relevance of surface area and the implications of particle growth.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes various assumptions about particle behavior, definitions of surface area, and the implications of energy changes, which remain unresolved. The relationship between mass and energy in the context of particle interactions is also a point of contention.

  • #31
Originally posted by Sariaht
Protones are two bigg to participate in the mind experiment, sort'a.
What do you mean protons are too big, why are they too big?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
They are filled with lots of other particles.
 
  • #33
Oh I see what you mean now, yes protons have three quarks inside them, two up's and a down. Neutrons have two down's and an up. All hadrons and mesons (as far as I am aware) are composed of other smaller particles.

I am interested as to where you have read about particles growing when they gain more energy. Are you sure that you have not confused this with them occupying more space since they move around faster?
 
  • #34
In this old book called modern science, i read that you could actually see particles grow in particle accelerators.
 

Similar threads

High School Could a Particle Accelerator Create a Black Hole That Destroys Earth?
  • · Replies 108 ·
4
Replies
108
Views
21K
Undergrad Glueballs Observed For The First Time
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
4K
Undergrad New Constraints On The Higgs Boson Width
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
High School Black Hole Explosions: Hawking's 1974 Letter to Nature
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
High School How do Black Holes Grow? A Far-Away Observer's Perspective
  • · Replies 67 ·
3
Replies
67
Views
6K
High School The twin paradox and black holes
  • · Replies 31 ·
2
Replies
31
Views
2K
Graduate Overall perturbation for two free-falling particles in flat spacetime
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
1K
Undergrad Can Black Holes Have Equal Spin and Behave as Indistinguishable Fermions?
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
8K
Undergrad New Way of Particle Accelerating?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Undergrad How powerful would a collider have to be to observe a sphaleron?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K