Is this how particles interact?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the interactions between particles, specifically protons, electrons, neutrons, and antimatter, as well as the energy requirements for nuclear fusion. It touches on concepts from quantum mechanics, the strong force, and stellar processes.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants state that protons attract electrons due to their opposite charges, but note that quantum mechanics complicates this interaction.
  • Neutrons are described as neutral in terms of electrical charge but are crucial for the strong force that holds atomic nuclei together, with a suggestion that without neutrons, only hydrogen would exist.
  • There is a discussion about the gravitational interaction between matter and antimatter, with one participant questioning whether antimatter would fall upwards due to its properties.
  • One participant raises a question about the energy required to fuse neutrons into atomic nuclei, leading to a clarification that light nuclei fusion releases energy while heavy nuclei fusion requires energy input.
  • Another participant corrects a previous claim about alpha particles, identifying them as consisting of two protons and two neutrons.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the basic interactions between protons, electrons, and neutrons, but there are nuances and uncertainties regarding the specifics of these interactions and the implications of antimatter. The discussion about energy requirements for fusion shows some consensus on the distinction between light and heavy nuclei, but details remain complex and debated.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the nature of gravitational interactions between matter and antimatter, as well as the specifics of energy thresholds in nuclear fusion processes. The discussion also reflects varying levels of understanding about quantum mechanics and particle interactions.

hurricane89
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protons attract electrons,
neutrons are neutral to protons+electrons
antimatter particles attract regular matter

also one more thing, does it take lots of energy to fuse neutrons into an atom nuclei?
 
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hurricane89 said:
protons attract electrons,

Electrically yes, because they have opposite charge. But when they get really close to each other, weird things happen. In other words, an electron never spirals into a proton as a comet might fall into the Sun. This is the sort of thing that quantum mechanics deals with.

hurricane89 said:
neutrons are neutral to protons+electrons

Electrically yes. But neutrons are important in the strong force, which holds nuclei together. When neutrons are present, the strong force can overpower the electrical repulsion of protons, or else no elements but Hydrogen would be possible. I don't think you'll ever find a nucleus of just two protons for example.

Oh, and gravitationally, these particles attract each other, but that's typically negligible.

hurricane89 said:
antimatter particles attract regular matter

This is a little ambiguous. An electron and a positron attract each other electrically because they have opposite charge. but a positron is not electrically attracted to a proton because they have the same charge.

However, it's an interesting question to think about how matter and antimatter interact gravitationally. In other words, would antimatter fall up?
 
Cantab Morgan said:
Electrically yes. But neutrons are important in the strong force, which holds nuclei together. When neutrons are present, the strong force can overpower the electrical repulsion of protons, or else no elements but Hydrogen would be possible. I don't think you'll ever find a nucleus of just two protons for example.
What would you consider an alpha particle to be? :smile:

Oops: alpha particles are two protons and two neutrons; my mistake!
 
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hurricane89 said:
also one more thing, does it take lots of energy to fuse neutrons into an atom nuclei?

I'm not sure I quite understand your question, but here goes...

When light nuclei fuse together, energy is released not consumed. For example, inside a star, Hydrogen and Helium will fuse together into heavier elements. In older stars, where the very lightest nuclei have been used up, other nuclei like Carbon will also fuse. This kind of fusion releases energy, and it's why stars shine.

But to fuse heavy nuclei together, you have to put energy in. For example, nature makes gold and silver out of lighter nuclei using the tremendous energy produced in a supernova explosion. Without such an energy source, heavier atoms would never be found. This has profound implications. Before the first supernova, a planet like the Earth rich in elements, could not have existed.

If I recall correctly the threshold between light and heavy in this context is Iron. Nuclei lighter than Iron can fuse release energy, and nuclei heavier than Iron require energy to be fused together.
 

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