Charging Up Particles: Proton Charge Explained

[Delzac]

Hi,

Given that a " up " quark has charge of 2/3e ; a "down" quark has a charge of - 1/3e, where e is the elementary charge (+1.6 x 10^-19 C).

can is say that a proton contain 3 " up " quark and 1 "down" quark?

the charge in the end seems to add up to +1.

is what is have said correct?

p.s. i just started learning particle physics

 

[neutrino]

(3 x 2/3) + (1x(-1/3)) = 1?

Incase you meant 3 down quarks, then that doesn't work either - Add the masses of the quarks.

 

[jhmar]

Charge values are: u = +2/3; d = -1/3
2 up + 1 down = +1
add the charge values.

 

[Delzac]

sry i meant 2 " up" quarks and 1 " down" quark. does it work now?

 

[Delzac]

another thing i understand is that quarks isn't actually IN the proton itself isn't? so how can we say that to proton CONTAIN quarks IN it

 

[disregardthat]

what is quarks made of?

 

[dav2008]

another thing i understand is that quarks isn't actually IN the proton itself isn't? so how can we say that to proton CONTAIN quarks IN it

The proton is made up of quarks.

There aren't quarks "inside" of a proton because that implies there exists a structure called a proton independently of quarks.

Edit: Well I guess there are also gluons.

 

[Lyuokdea]

(3 x 2/3) + (1x(-1/3)) = 1?

Incase you meant 3 down quarks, then that doesn't work either - Add the masses of the quarks.

Summing the masses wouldn't give you any useful information for finding the number of quarks in a proton or neutron, without a lot of extra information. The sum of the quark masses is only a small percentage of the mass of a proton.

~Lyuokdea

 

[neutrino]

Summing the masses wouldn't give you any useful information for finding the number of quarks in a proton or neutron, without a lot of extra information. The sum of the quark masses is only a small percentage of the mass of a proton.

~Lyuokdea

I had this feeling that my teacher was wrong. I should've checked what he said, though. I stand corrected...Thanks.