The Paradox of Mass Distortion in Collider Experiments

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In summary, when a collider like the LHC accelerates two protons, they do not gain mass or distort space-time. The energy of an object is frame-dependent, but the gravity produced is not. The protons do not attract each other in the lab frame. When they collide, they can create new particles, but the spacetime curvature produced is negligible. The extra rest mass of these particles comes from the energy added by the accelerator, and the spacetime curvature is still produced by stress-energy, not mass.
  • #1
idea2000
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When a collider such as the lhc accelerates two protons side by side, would thy seem to gain mass and then distort st? And if so, would the lab frame see them attract each other? How would the attraction be explained from the perspective of each particle, if they don't see the other particle gain mass?
 
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  • #2
idea2000 said:
When a collider such as the lhc accelerates two protons side by side, would thy seem to gain mass and then distort st?

No. The energy of an object is frame-dependent; but the gravity produced by an object is not.

idea2000 said:
would the lab frame see them attract each other?

No.
 
  • #3
So when thy are accelerated, they gain mass, but, they don't distort st?
 
  • #4
When protons collide, do they create new particles that distort st? And, do protons distort st the same way whether they are moving or at rest?
 
  • #5
idea2000 said:
when thy are accelerated, they gain mass

No. They gain energy with respect to the lab frame, but energy is frame-dependent. (Some old texts use the term "relativistic mass", but that is really just another name for energy.)

idea2000 said:
but, they don't distort st?

The source of gravity is not mass. It's the stress-energy tensor, which includes energy, momentum, pressure, and other stresses, in a way that ensures that the gravity produced by an object is frame-independent.
 
  • #6
idea2000 said:
When protons collide, do they create new particles

They can, yes.

idea2000 said:
that distort st?

The spacetime curvature produced by protons, or any other particles produced in accelerator experiments, is negligible.

idea2000 said:
do protons distort st the same way whether they are moving or at rest?

Yes, because "moving" and "at rest" are frame-dependent, and as I already said, the gravity produced by an object (i.e., the spacetime curvature produced) is not frame-dependent.
 
  • #7
When protons collide, does all that extra energy they have become converted into new particles who's total rest mass is greater than the rest mass of the two protons before they were accelerated?

Thanks for your replies, btw!
 
  • #8
idea2000 said:
When protons collide, does all that extra energy they have become converted into new particles who's total rest mass is greater than the rest mass of the two protons before they were accelerated?

It can be, yes. But the extra rest mass comes from the energy added by the accelerator; it doesn't come out of nowhere. And spacetime curvature, as I said, is produced by stress-energy, not mass ("mass" is one form of stress-energy, but not the only one). So whatever spacetime curvature is being produced by the particles that come out, it's the same as whatever spacetime curvature was being produced by the energy in the accelerator beforehand. (Actually, both are negligible, but conceptually, it's still important to understand that energy conservation applies.)
 

1. What is the "Paradox of Mass Distortion" in collider experiments?

The Paradox of Mass Distortion refers to the phenomenon observed in collider experiments where the mass of particles appears to change depending on the energy of the collision. This goes against the fundamental principle of mass being an intrinsic property of particles.

2. Why is this paradox significant in the field of particle physics?

This paradox challenges our current understanding of particle physics and the Standard Model. If proven to be true, it could lead to the discovery of new particles or forces that govern the behavior of particles at high energies.

3. How is the Paradox of Mass Distortion being investigated?

Scientists are investigating this paradox through various collider experiments, such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. By colliding particles at different energies and measuring their masses, they hope to gather more data and evidence to explain this phenomenon.

4. What are some proposed explanations for the Paradox of Mass Distortion?

Some proposed explanations include the existence of new, undiscovered particles that interact with the known particles, or the existence of extra dimensions that affect the mass of particles at high energies. Another theory suggests that the observed mass distortion is simply a result of measurement errors.

5. How could resolving the Paradox of Mass Distortion impact our understanding of the universe?

If the Paradox of Mass Distortion is resolved, it could lead to a better understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the universe and the forces that govern them. It could also potentially open up new areas of research and lead to advancements in technology, such as new energy sources or medical treatments.

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