Pentaquark Particles: New Doubts Cast on Their Existence in Recent Experiment

  • Thread starter humanino
  • Start date
In summary, the pentaquark has been released and there is doubt about it, but another experiment is still under the process of data analysis.
  • #1
humanino
2,527
8
You said "pentaquark" !?

All right, it is now officially released :
Doubt is cast on pentaquarks
Another dedicated experiment in the same lab is still under the process of data analysis. Let us hope they will agree with each other !
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
This is good. I always really felt that the pentaquark didn't fit in. I never really liked the idea, it felt quite odd to me to have a pentaquark particle. But I suppose the jury is still out, so I will have to wait and see.
 
  • #3
Is there any particle made up of more than 3 quarks? I read the Pentaquark link, but didn't I hear news of a suspected 4 quark particle some time back?

Thanks
 
  • #4
I doubt it. Unless it were two quark-antiquark pairs, which annihilate straight away, color would not be confined.
 
  • #5
El Hombre Invisible said:
I doubt it. Unless it were two quark-antiquark pairs, which annihilate straight away, color would not be confined.

4-quark and 5-quark systems can be colorless because 2 and 3 quark system are colorless and sums of colorless systems are also colorless.

And quark-antiquark pairs do not necessarily annihilate "straight away". See charmonium.
 
  • #6
Tell me about charmonium.
 
  • #7
I think there might be a confusion about language.
"Pentaquark" does not mean 5 quarks.
The PQ is composed of 3 quarks and an additional quark-antiquark pair.
This makes it a bit like a molecule of a baryon and a meson, and not all that exotic.
Its narrow width, if obvserved, is what makes it unusual.
"Four quark" states really mean two quarks and two antiquarks.
They were hot about 20 years ago, and were called "baryonium".
They fell into disrepute, but strong evidence for them was never overturned.
The quarks would not immediately annihilate if they formed two diquarks some distance apart.
 
  • #8
Well, that's like calling a helium nucleus a dodecaquark!
 

FAQ: Pentaquark Particles: New Doubts Cast on Their Existence in Recent Experiment

1. What are pentaquark particles?

Pentaquark particles are hypothetical subatomic particles made up of five quarks, which are fundamental particles that make up protons and neutrons. They were first proposed in the 1960s but have yet to be observed in experiments.

2. What is the recent experiment that cast doubt on the existence of pentaquark particles?

The recent experiment was conducted at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland by the LHCb collaboration. They observed a particle that was initially thought to be a pentaquark, but further analysis showed that it was likely a combination of two other particles.

3. What evidence was previously thought to support the existence of pentaquark particles?

Previous experiments, such as those at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, had seen hints of pentaquark particles in their data. Additionally, some theoretical models predicted the existence of pentaquark particles.

4. Does the recent experiment completely rule out the existence of pentaquark particles?

No, the recent experiment does not completely rule out the existence of pentaquark particles. It does, however, cast doubt on their existence and suggests that previous evidence may have been misinterpreted or influenced by other factors.

5. What are the next steps in determining the existence of pentaquark particles?

The next steps will involve further analysis of data from the LHC and other experiments, as well as the development of more precise and sophisticated theoretical models. It is also possible that future experiments, such as the Electron-Ion Collider in the United States, may provide more definitive evidence for or against the existence of pentaquark particles.

Similar threads

B What's Delaying Fermilab's Muon g-2 Results Release?
3
Replies
86
Views
9K
I New muon g-2 calculation consistent with experiment
Replies
0
Views
597
I Does the New Muon g-2 Measurement Indicate Physics Beyond the Standard Model?
Replies
2
Views
2K
I "Wave-particle duality" and double-slit experiment
2
Replies
36
Views
4K
I ATLAS and CMS see signs of Higgs->muons decay
Replies
17
Views
5K
I Glueballs Observed For The First Time
Replies
10
Views
1K
I Why Monte Carlo Simulations? What do they tell us?
Replies
9
Views
2K
B Proving the Existence of Particles: An Exploration
3
Replies
94
Views
4K
A Extended Wigner’s Friend Scenario and the existence of the reality
Replies
5
Views
2K
I How do the collider experiments measure the mass of the W boson?
Replies
4
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top