Do Fundamental Particles Experience Heat?

[one_raven]

Heat is a product of excited energy states of the fundamental particles that make up atoms, correct?
So do the particles, themselves, get "hot" - or is heat just experienced as radiation on the macroscopic scale?

Do neutrons, for example, have a thermal property at all?

 

[themrscientist]

yes, heat is a macroscopic definition of a change in energy (which can be produced by a particle moving to a less excited state). When you get to a small enough particle, we see heat as only a change in energy. Therefore, the neutrons would get excited, bounce around faster, and produce radiation, but they would not become "warmer".

so, in essence, Heat is only a macroscopic quantity.

 

[bland]

Do neutrons, for example, have a thermal property at all?

Wouldn't any particle that was not at absolute zero have a temperature?

 

[Drakkith]

Wouldn't any particle that was not at absolute zero have a temperature?

Fundamental particles do not have a temperature, as temperature is a measure of the internal energy of an object, which is the result of many random motions of its constituent particles. Fundamental particles are not made up of any other particles, so they don't have internal energy.

 

[Infinite/Zero]

If we divide a particle then we always get smaller particle because it would never become zero ?

 

[UltrafastPED]

If we divide a particle then we always get smaller particle because it would never become zero ?

Wrong. Please review "elementary particles": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_particle

 

[Infinite/Zero]

Thanks UltrafastPED for increasing my knowledge.

 

[UltrafastPED]

So do the particles, themselves, get "hot"

If you have a collection of neutrons, and have them all moving randomly ... then yes, you could define a temperature. This would be appropriate for a neutron star, or perhaps an excited nucleus.

Or considering any collection of fundamental particles - then it is appropriate for the early times of the big bang - and is how many of the estimates are carried out.

 

[Infinite/Zero]

Wrong. Please review "elementary particles": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_particle

The first line on the wikipedia page is "In particle physics, an elementary particle or fundamental particle is a particle whose substructure is unknown, thus it is unknown whether it is composed of other particles."

I can be not wrong

 

[ModusPwnd]

The second a sub structure is found the particle ceases to be considered elementary. Elementary particles are not composed of other particles, by definition. The electron is considered an elementary particle due to evidence and will only be considered non-fundamental if new evidence arises.

 

[dauto]

The first line on the wikipedia page is "In particle physics, an elementary particle or fundamental particle is a particle whose substructure is unknown, thus it is unknown whether it is composed of other particles."

I can be not wrong

Wikipedia pages on the topic of elementary particles, electroweak theory, Standard model, etc... are fairly poor.

 

[dauto]

Heat is a product of excited energy states of the fundamental particles that make up atoms, correct?
So do the particles, themselves, get "hot" - or is heat just experienced as radiation on the macroscopic scale?

Do neutrons, for example, have a thermal property at all?

Worth pointing out that neutrons are not fundamental particles.

 

[Infinite/Zero]

If a fundamental particle change shape then it experience heat ?
Fundamental particles also need energy [to maintain there body(structure)] and [exist] ?

 

[ModusPwnd]

They don't have shape or structure. Not as far as researchers can tell. They are point particles. They occupy no, or an infinitesimal amount of volume.

 

[Infinite/Zero]

They don't have shape or structure.

Means we do not know know their shape or structure ?

They are point particles.

Means they are sphere ?

They occupy no.

Means their volume is zero ?

 

[ModusPwnd]

Means we do not know know their shape or structure ?

No. Comon... They have no shape or structure means they have no shape or structure. Of course new evidence could change that, but that is the case for all conclusions in science.

Means they are sphere ?

No. A point is not a sphere.

Means their volume is zero ?

Yes. Or infinitesimal. Ill leave it to the experts to distinguish between those.

 

[Infinite/Zero]

No. A point is not a sphere.

What do you mean by point particles ?
please to me sir. I am confused.

 

[HallsofIvy]

A "point particle" is a mathematical abstraction. It treats the particle as if it were a single point rather than having volume and taking up space.

 

[Infinite/Zero]

Thank you Hallsoflvy