Laws of conservation in special relativity

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the laws of conservation in special relativity, particularly focusing on energy and momentum conservation during particle collisions involving protons. Participants explore the implications of these laws in the context of high-energy physics and the behavior of particles post-collision.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the conservation of energy and momentum equations, questioning how to apply them in different reference frames, including the center of momentum (CoM) frame and the laboratory frame. There are inquiries about the invariant mass of a system and how it relates to the conservation laws.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants sharing insights and seeking clarification on various concepts. Some guidance has been provided regarding the CoM frame and its implications for minimizing energy, but there is still uncertainty about specific calculations and interpretations of the equations presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants express confusion about the relationship between different reference frames and the implications of conservation laws in those frames. There are mentions of specific energy values and conditions that may not be fully defined, contributing to the complexity of the discussion.

  • #31
LagrangeEuler said:
in COM frame where \vec{p}=\vec{0}
I get
2E_0=\sqrt{E_0^2+p_1'^2c^2}+\sqrt{E_0^2+p_2'^2c^2}+...+\sqrt{E_0^2+p_n'^2c^2}
\vec{0}=\vec{p}'_1+\vec{p}'_2+...+\vec{p}'_n
and it does not have sense. Where is the mistake? It is obvious that the mistake is in the equation
2E_0=\sqrt{E_0^2+p_1'^2c^2}+\sqrt{E_0^2+p_2'^2c^2}+...+\sqrt{E_0^2+p_n'^2c^2}. Could you please help me to understand where is the error?
Before the collision, the two protons are not at rest, so the total energy is ##2E'##, not ##2E_0##. After the collision, the particles are at rest, so the energy of each particle is just ##E_0##. The equation you wrote down has the initial protons at rest and the final particles all moving.
 
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  • #32
What you did in your first post (I think) is okay. Given that you are only required to compute the threshold energy to create an antiproton/proton pair (by threshold I mean you are not concerned with the kinetic energy of the pair after creating - you just need to calculate the energy required for them to exist) then your answer of 82 needs to be divided by 2 since you are dealing with pairs. At least this is what I think.
 

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