Evidence for 3 quarks in protons

In summary, the evidence for three quarks - two up and one down - comes from high energy scattering experiments. This evidence is corroborated by the fact that six quarks would produce many more unobserved states.
  • #1
hkyriazi
175
2
I'm curious about the nature of the evidence for three quarks -- two up and one down -- in the proton. I assume the data is derived from high energy scattering experiments, and looking at the angles and momenta of the scattered particles. But I don't see how, from such experiments, one can say there are two ups and one down, rather than their simply existing in a ratio of 2:1. In other words, might there be six quarks rather than three (four up, two down)? Is the determination of three based more on theoretical arguments, rather than experimental data?
 
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  • #2
Yours is a non-trivial question, indeed.

Early scattering experiments at SLAC and CERN did reveal that there was a substructure of protons; these constituents were called "partons". Many physicists over the decades that followed asked the exact same question you did, whether or not these "partons" were indeed the same thing as the "quarks" of Gell-Mann's Eightfold Way.

This question has been largely resolved due to ever-more accurate scattering experiments, but the answer is not that simple. It turns out that, depending on the scattering energy, you "see" not only the three quarks, but the products of gluons and quark-antiquark pairs exchanged between the quarks.

That's all I have time to say for now, but a basic answer is "yes", experiment corroborates the basic 3-quark model (though things are a bit more tricky...)
 
  • #3
The original argument for three quarks in baryons was the fact that this produced the stable spin 1/2 baryon octet and the lowest spin 3/2 baryon decuplet resonances. More quarks would lead to many more unobserved states.
 
  • #5
Thanks, Sideways, Clem, and Humanino. Sideways' response was most suited to my level of (in)expertise, but I got something out of them all. (Clem's comment that six quarks would lead to more states than observed was enlightening.) I'll check out the "parton" ideas, and Gell-Mann's Eightfold Way. (The Nobel Lecture was over my head.)
 
  • #6
It should be emphasized that Clem correctly said "the original idea" for SU(3) color. One can study the possible representations of the groups that are compatible with the observed symmetry patterns in the spectrum, and come up with SU(3) flavor for u, d and s. Then, from here, one has to postulate a SU(3) color group for the observed states like [itex]\Delta^{++}[/itex]. But this still calls confirmation.
hkyriazi said:
The Nobel Lecture was over my head.
The physical argument is given in page 734
Friedman said:
[...]the [itex]F^{3}[/itex] structure function, which uniquely occurs in the general expression for the inelastic neutrino and antineutrino nucleon cross sections as a consequence of parity non-conservation in the weak interaction
allows us to distinguish between quarks and antiquarks. By the same token, the Adler sum rule gives you the difference between the net number of u and d quarks.

See also Quarks, partons and Quantum Chromodynamics par Jiˇr´ı Ch´yla
 
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  • #7
Thanks, Humanino. The last link, to the 210-page book, is quite good (taking a novice from the ground up). And, actually, I've been scanning the Friedman lecture, and it gives me a feel, at least, for what's involved (and it's pretty involved!). But I have to tell you, I know next to nothing about all these groups and symmetries. My level of understanding is to imagine things banging together, rebounding, breaking up and perhaps interconverting to various extents. I'll be happy if I can grasp what is meant by the various proton and higher mass resonances (first paragraph of Friedman's essay).
 

1. What is the evidence for 3 quarks in protons?

The evidence for 3 quarks in protons comes from experiments conducted at particle accelerators, such as the Large Hadron Collider. These experiments have shown that when protons are collided at high energies, they break apart into smaller particles, including 3 quarks.

2. How do scientists know there are 3 quarks in protons?

Scientists know there are 3 quarks in protons through a combination of experimental results and theoretical calculations. When protons are collided at high energies, they produce a spray of particles, including 3 quarks. Additionally, theoretical models of the structure of protons show that they are made up of 3 quarks held together by strong nuclear forces.

3. Are all protons made up of 3 quarks?

Yes, all protons are made up of 3 quarks. This has been confirmed through multiple experiments and theoretical models. However, the exact arrangement and properties of these 3 quarks may vary between different protons.

4. Can protons have more or less than 3 quarks?

No, protons can only have 3 quarks. This is because protons are a type of baryon, which are particles made up of 3 quarks. Any particle with a different number of quarks would be a different type of particle.

5. What is the significance of the discovery of 3 quarks in protons?

The discovery of 3 quarks in protons is significant because it provides a deeper understanding of the fundamental building blocks of matter. It also supports the theory of quantum chromodynamics, which explains the strong nuclear force that holds quarks together in protons and other particles. This discovery has also led to advancements in particle physics and has paved the way for further research into the nature of matter.

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