Explanation for the behavior of the top quark

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the properties of the top quark, specifically addressing the apparent contradiction of it being described as both the smallest and the most massive quark. Participants explore the implications of mass and size in the context of particle physics and quantum fields.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question how the top quark can be both the smallest and the most massive, suggesting a misunderstanding or unreliable sources.
  • One participant emphasizes that quarks are treated as fundamental, point-like particles, and that the concept of size may not apply in the same way as classical objects.
  • Another participant introduces the idea of thinking in terms of quantum fields, arguing that mass relates to the energy required to excite the field rather than physical size.
  • A comment is made regarding the de Broglie wavelength, linking the top quark's mass to its size in a vague manner.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the interpretation of the top quark's properties, with no consensus reached on the relationship between mass and size.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the vagueness of quark volumes and the reliance on high energies to create top quarks, indicating that discussions may depend on specific definitions and interpretations of particle behavior.

mrcollet
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
I read that the top quark is "the smallest quark, which means it is the most massive".

How can it be the smallest and yet the most massive?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
mrcollet said:
I read that the top quark is "the smallest quark, which means it is the most massive".

How can it be the smallest and yet the most massive?

Could you give a reference? My understanding is that quark volumes are extremely vague and for practical purposes are considered points.
 
this can be either your misunderstanding of what you read, or your source is not reliable/nonsense. Quarks are "fundamental particles" so far, meaning we deal them as pointlike particles. The top is a quark.
The only thing that has to do with the distance and the top, is that in order to create a top quark you need high energies [because it's massive]. Now some people tend to use instead of energies the distance r [which is ~1/E] in charts... so higher energies means you "see deeper" but that's actually not useful and has nothing to do with the top's mass, but with how energetic [or how deep] your interactions can take place.
 
mrcollet said:
I read that the top quark is "the smallest quark, which means it is the most massive".

How can it be the smallest and yet the most massive?

Think in terms of fields rather than particles and the picture is more clear. A particle having a large mass means that it takes a lot of energy to kick an excitation out of the underlying quantum field. The field is more "stiff" if you like and doesn't respond easily. It also means that such an excitation is carrying a lot of energy around with it. But the excitation is just a vibration of the field, so its "size" doesn't matter at all to this picture, and indeed as others said it will be considered as a superposition of point-like vibrations. It isn't like classical matter, where you need to collect more "stuff" into some volume to make a heavier object.
 
This is just a comment for the de Broglie wavelength.

The top is most massive and therefore the most small
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Is Toponium a Reality Despite Top Quark's Rapid Decay?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Graduate Color confinement in high-energy quark knockout
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
High School Can virtual particles turn into real particles? (news about new study)
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate Why Can't a Top Quark Decay Into a Charm or Up Quark?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
High School How hard have they banged on quarks, electrons, etc.?
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
3K
Graduate What New Experiments, If Any, Would Help Determine Light Quark Masses?
  • · Replies 46 ·
2
Replies
46
Views
8K
High School Do Alternative Explanations for Gluons Exist and How Can We Test Them?
  • · Replies 38 ·
2
Replies
38
Views
5K
Undergrad Can a Higgs boson decay into two top quarks off-shell?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
Graduate Difference between generations of quarks
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Undergrad What would a hypothetical quark-quark collision yield?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K