Question about Chirality and the Weak Interaction

In summary: This means that the weak interaction only acts on the left chiral electrons while not acting on the right chiral electrons.In summary, the weak interaction only interacts with left-handed chiral particles and right-handed chiral anti-particles. While Z bosons interact with both left and right-handed particles, W bosons only interact with left-handed particles and right-handed anti-particles. This means that the weak interaction does not act on all electrons, but only on the left chiral electrons. The same applies for positrons, where the weak interaction only acts on the right chiral positrons.
  • #1
Trixie Mattel
29
0
Hello,

From my understanding, the weak interaction only acts of Left-Handed Chiral Particles, and Right-Handed Chiral Anti Particles.

There have been observed fermions (other than neutrinos, where all observed neutrinos are Left Handed Chiral) where some are left handed and some are right handed.

For instance there exist electrons which have left handed chirality and electrons which have right handed chirality.

Does that therefore mean that the weak interaction does act on all electrons? Does the weak interaction only act on the left chiral electrons while not acting on the right chiral electrons?

The same goes for positrons. Will the weak interaction only act on the right chiral positrons while not acting on left chiral positrons?

Thank you
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Trixie Mattel said:
From my understanding, the weak interaction only acts of Left-Handed Chiral Particles, and Right-Handed Chiral Anti Particles.

W bosons only interact with left-handed particles and right-handed anti-particles. Z bosons interact with left- and right-handed particles, but with different interaction strengths.

Trixie Mattel said:
Does that therefore mean that the weak interaction does act on all electrons? Does the weak interaction only act on the left chiral electrons while not acting on the right chiral electrons?
Electrons have mass and therefore chiral states are not the physical electron states. The charged currents will only "see" the part of the electron that is left-handed.
 
  • Like
Likes vanhees71

1. What is chirality and how does it relate to the weak interaction?

Chirality refers to the property of a molecule or particle having a non-superimposable mirror image. In the context of the weak interaction in particle physics, chirality is related to the handedness of particles and their interactions with the weak force. The weak interaction only affects left-handed particles and right-handed antiparticles.

2. What is the weak force and how does it differ from other fundamental forces?

The weak force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature, along with gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong force. It is responsible for certain types of radioactive decay and plays a role in nuclear fusion. Unlike the other forces, the weak force is short-range and only affects particles with a specific chirality.

3. How does chirality affect the stability of particles?

Chirality plays a crucial role in the stability of particles. Particles with left-handed chirality are more stable because they interact with the weak force, which is the weakest of the four fundamental forces. This means that left-handed particles are less likely to decay or interact with other particles, making them more stable than their right-handed counterparts.

4. Can chirality change in particles?

Yes, chirality can change in particles through a process known as weak interaction or weak decay. This occurs when a particle with one chirality interacts with the weak force and changes into a particle with the opposite chirality. This process is essential for certain types of radioactive decay and plays a role in the evolution of the universe.

5. What are some real-life applications of chirality and the weak interaction?

Chirality and the weak interaction have numerous applications in various fields. In chemistry, chirality is crucial for understanding how drugs interact with the human body, as molecules with different chirality can have vastly different effects. In particle physics, the weak interaction plays a crucial role in experiments that aim to understand the fundamental building blocks of the universe. Additionally, the study of chirality and the weak interaction has practical applications in materials science and nanotechnology.

Similar threads

A Why do we write that there are no right-handed neutrinos?
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
8
Views
3K
I Questions about Helicity & Chirality: Answers Explained
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
1
Views
1K
A Relation between chirality and spin
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
4
Views
1K
A Exploring Chiral Symmetry in Weak Interaction
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
2
Views
1K
B Graphical representation of the weak mixing angle
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
12
Views
1K
I How prone is a photon to interacting with uncharged structureless particles?
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
8
Views
1K
I When is weak interaction a force?
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
4
Views
2K
I Right chiral vs left chiral electrons in the standard model
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
2
Views
1K
Yukawa interaction and chirality.
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
1
Views
2K
I What is the electric charge of a neutrino?
    • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
6
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top