ELI5: Antiparticles in Feynman Diagrams

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on the role of antiparticles in Feynman Diagrams, particularly in Quantum Electrodynamics (QED). Participants clarify that antiparticles are represented as entering interactions due to the conventions established in the interaction term \bar{\Phi}\gamma^{\mu} \Phi A_{\mu}. The use of the adjoint, which includes \gamma^0, is essential for ensuring the correct representation of outgoing particles in scattering amplitudes. The directionality of arrows in Feynman Diagrams is determined by the momentum vector in the Fourier transform, reflecting CTP symmetry.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED)
  • Familiarity with Feynman Diagrams
  • Knowledge of Fourier transforms in physics
  • Basic concepts of particle-antiparticle symmetry
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the role of CTP symmetry in particle physics
  • Learn about the significance of the adjoint in quantum field theory
  • Explore the mathematical foundations of scattering amplitudes
  • Investigate the implications of momentum vectors in Feynman Diagrams
USEFUL FOR

Students and researchers in theoretical physics, particularly those studying Quantum Electrodynamics and particle interactions, will benefit from this discussion.

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Hi!, I am studying for an introductory course in QED and Feynman Diagrams. Everything we see is like a first order approach and I am having some trouble understanding antiparticles in Feynman Diagrams:
Why is it that we put an antiparticle that is leaving as if it is entering the interaction??
This is:
We have the interaction term:
\bar{\Phi}\gamma^{\mu} \Phi A_{\mu}
From which I understood that \bar{\Phi} corresponds to the outgoing particle. Yet for antiparticles we draw them as entering.

Also, i don't fully understand why we use the adjoint (i.e: with \gamma^0 multiplying) as the outgoing particles. I thought we were calculating interactions elements for the Hamiltonian. I don't know where the \gamma^0 comes from.

Sorry for my english.
 
Last edited:
Feynman diagrams describe multiple integral contributing to the scattering amplitude, they don't depict events in time. (The latter is only a superficial mnemonics.) See, e.g., http://physics.stackexchange.com/a/22064/7924

The direction of the arrows comes from the direction of the momentum vector in the Fourier transform of the integrals they depict. The Fourier transform treats particle and antiparticles in a way reflecting the CTP symmetry: changing p to -p changes particles to antiparticle and reverses the signs of all charges.
 

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