Do Leptons and Quarks Interact Electromagnetically?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the electromagnetic interactions between leptons (such as electrons) and quarks, exploring whether such interactions exist given the nature of their charges and the implications of the strong interaction.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that there is an electromagnetic interaction between leptons and quarks, citing the interaction between electrons and protons as a parallel.
  • Others question how quarks, which have fractional charges, can interact electromagnetically with leptons, given that free quarks cannot be observed due to the strong interaction.
  • One participant argues that the strong interaction does not negate the possibility of electromagnetic interactions between quarks and leptons, suggesting that the presence of quarks within protons does not preclude such interactions.
  • Another participant emphasizes that the electromagnetic interaction is long-range, implying that the location of quarks does not affect their ability to interact electromagnetically with leptons.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of electromagnetic interactions between leptons and quarks, with no consensus reached on the implications of the strong interaction in this context.

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight the complexity of interactions, noting that the strong interaction's role may not be as significant in electromagnetic interactions as initially suggested. However, the discussion remains unresolved regarding the specifics of these interactions.

Hluf
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Hi people,
I have one question, leptons and quarks are electromagnetically charged particles. Is there an electromagnetic interaction between them?
Thank you for the help!
 
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Of course. That's how electrons and protons stay bound to each other in atoms.
 
Thank you, electrons and protons stay bound to each other in atoms because they have an integer charge but quarks have a fractional charge how they interact with leptons?
 
Charges with opposite sign attract, and charges with the same sign repel. It has nothing to do with whether they are integer charges or not.
 
According to the strong interaction, we can never see free quark, so how can the electron interact with up-quark or down quark? thank you for the response!
 
Hluf said:
According to the strong interaction, we can never see free quark, so how can the electron interact with up-quark or down quark? thank you for the response!

Why wouldn't it be able to? A free quark just means a quark that isn't bound together with another quark. There's still three quarks making up each proton.
 
Hluf said:
Hi people,
I have one question, leptons and quarks are electromagnetically charged particles. Is there an electromagnetic interaction between them?
Thank you for the help!

Hluf said:
According to the strong interaction, we can never see free quark, so how can the electron interact with up-quark or down quark? thank you for the response!

Your series of question here raised a question with me regarding your thought process, that I just had to ask.

First, you asked if there's any electromagnetic interaction between quarks and leptons. Presumably, you have no problem with knowing that there is an electromagnetic interaction between protons and electrons, ya?

So, naturally, I puzzle over why there is a problem with accepting that there is an electromagnetic interaction between quarks and leptons. After all, a proton is made up of 3 quarks. So if proton-electron has EM interaction, why do you have a problem with quark-lepton? having EM interaction?

Secondly, why would "strong interaction" matter on whether there is EM interaction between quark-lepton, which was your original question? It is not an either-or situation. The strong interaction only matters between quark-quark (or any hadrons). It doesn't significantly affect the EM interaction between quark-lepton. So I am puzzled why this matters. Does the fact that my charged Van de Graaf generator is on the earth, in the gravitational field, significantly affects its EM field when compared to having it float in space when there's less gravitational field?

Zz.
 
Hluf said:
According to the strong interaction, we can never see free quark, so how can the electron interact with up-quark or down quark? thank you for the response!
The EM interaction is long range, so it doesn't matter where the quark is.
 
Thank you.
 

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