How fast do subatomic particles move?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the speeds of subatomic particles, exploring their movement and the implications of relativity and quantum mechanics. Participants express curiosity about the nature of these speeds and the interactions that govern them.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the possible speeds of subatomic particles, suggesting that their interactions are very fast and questioning the role of time and relativity in this context.
  • Another participant states that subatomic particles can theoretically move at any speed from zero to very close to the speed of light, with massless particles like photons moving at the speed of light.
  • A third participant notes that in quantum mechanics, speed has a defined value only for free particles.
  • A further elaboration discusses the four fundamental interactions and their mediators, explaining that the strong and electromagnetic interactions are mediated by massless particles (gluons and photons) that propagate at light speed, while the weak interaction is mediated by massive particles (W and Z bosons), leading to slower propagation. The role of the Higgs mechanism in giving mass to these particles is also mentioned.
  • The discussion also touches on gravity, which is theorized to be mediated by the graviton, a massless particle, with gravitational effects propagating at the speed of light according to General Relativity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various perspectives on the speeds of subatomic particles, with some agreeing on the theoretical range of speeds while others provide differing insights into the implications of quantum mechanics and the nature of interactions. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specifics of these speeds and their implications.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions made about the nature of speed in quantum mechanics and the definitions of massless versus massive particles. The relationship between the fundamental forces and their mediators is also complex and not fully resolved in the conversation.

sainu@madearth
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what might be the speed of subatomic particles ?
The problem arises from all the interactions of subatomic particles are known to be super fast . thus wish to know how fast they are .
Does time have anything to do with subatomic particles ? ( Relativity )
" am a science enthusiast just out of curiosity "
 
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Same as for anything else - any speed from zero all the way up to very close to the speed of light.
(The so-called "massless" particles such as the photon move at the speed of light).
 
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It needs to also be said in QM speed only has an actual value for free particles.

Thanks
Bill
 
sainu@madearth said:
interactions of subatomic particles are known to be super fast
Just substantiating this (in a non-technical manner)- three out of the 4 fundamental interactions (4 most elementary forces in nature) are mediated by gauge bosons in the Standard Model whose existence has been confirmed (think of gauge bosons as elementary particles which "carry" forces around). The strong interaction (which binds the nucleus) and the electromagnetic interaction (which keeps the electrons and protons together in the atom [warning, this classical interpretation breaks down in quantum mechanics]) is mediated by the gluon and photon respectively, and both of these bosons are massless, which means that these forces propagate through space (vacuum, really) at the speed of light. The weak interaction is mediated by the W ± and Z bosons, and these particles were initially theorized to be massless as well, but are now considered to be massive after the discovery of the Higgs boson, which confirms the Higgs mechanism. Basically, the Higgs mechanism says that there is a Higgs field throughout the universe, and 3 of its components interact with the W and Z bosons, thereby giving them mass (if I remember correctly, the fourth real component of the field produces the Higgs boson). Hence, the weak nuclear interaction propagates through space at speeds less than the speed of light.

The fourth fundamental force, gravity, is mediated by the hypothetical "graviton" in the Standard Model (the graviton is theorized to be massless), but the existence of the graviton has so far not been confirmed. So we rely on General Relativity instead, which says that gravitational effects (waves) propagate through spacetime at the speed of light (the graviton's mass is predicted to be 0 [so it always moves at light speed] because it must match this result).

So now you know what super fast exactly means :wink:
 

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