Role of Bosons in Nuclear Reaction

In summary, the roles of bosons in nuclear reactions, fusion and fission are varied and complex. In beta decay, an intermediate virtual W boson is always involved due to the weak force. Gamma decay involves the emission of photons, while alpha decay or neutron emissions may also involve virtual photons and gluons. The energy released in these reactions can be a combination of rest energies of particles, gamma radiation, and kinetic energies. Feynman diagrams can be used to represent some of the processes involved in fission and fusion, with the Wikipedia page being a good starting point for further information.
  • #1
lulio907
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0
It seems that no matter how far and wide I look, I can find no concise explanation as to the roles of bosons in a nuclear reaction, fusion and/or fission.

Thus, my inquiry: What role do bosons play in nuclear reactions, fusion and fission? What is the sequence of events that result in such a nuclear reaction, with regards to both fermions and bosons? Time and time again I read about the neutrons being given off as a particle decays, accompanied by "a great amount of energy." What is this energy in the form of? Is the energy in the form of gluons? W & Z bosons? Photons? A combination thereof?

For example:
In a nuclear bomb, as the reaction is triggered, a series of events leads to that enormous amount of energy given off. What is this series of events at the elementary particle level? Are, say, neutrons ejected along with gluons or what have you which then go on to continue the reaction with the adjacent particles? What is the actual scenario?
 
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  • #2
Taking the simplest cases first, beta decay always proceeds via an intermediate virtual W boson, as this is how the weak force works.

Gamma decay is the simple emission of one or more photons, which are obviously bosons.

Alpha decays, or neutron emissions, are more complex because they involve quantum tunnelling though potential barriers. I haven't studied this myself using proper quantum mechanics, but no doubt virtual photos and possibly also gluons are involved somehow.

Depending on the reaction involved, the energy given off can be a combination of rest energies of particles given off (eg betas and (anti-)neutrinos), gamma radiation, and the kinetic energies of the particles produced. Not gluons, though, as like quarks these are always confined within hadrons.
 
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  • #3
@lulio907 and @adriantherock: I'm interested in the question too. Can you post a link to a webpage that shows feynman diagrams of the process of fission? and/or fusion? Since the total process would be too complex to diagram, can you send links to diagrams of some of the process(es) that occur at one or more stages of the reaction? TIA ...
 
  • #4

1. What are bosons and how are they involved in nuclear reactions?

Bosons are a type of subatomic particle that have integer spin. They play a crucial role in nuclear reactions by mediating the strong nuclear force, which is responsible for holding the nucleus of an atom together.

2. How do bosons contribute to the stability of the nucleus?

Bosons, specifically mesons, are responsible for transmitting the strong nuclear force between protons and neutrons in the nucleus. This force is stronger than the repulsive electromagnetic force between positively charged protons, helping to keep the nucleus stable.

3. Can bosons be created or destroyed in a nuclear reaction?

Yes, bosons can be created or destroyed in a nuclear reaction. In fact, most nuclear reactions involve the creation or destruction of bosons, such as in the process of beta decay where a neutron is transformed into a proton and an electron (a type of boson).

4. How do bosons affect the energy released in a nuclear reaction?

The exchange of bosons between particles in a nucleus can result in the release of energy in a nuclear reaction. This is because the strong nuclear force becomes stronger as bosons are exchanged, leading to a decrease in the mass of the nucleus and the release of energy according to Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2.

5. Are there any other important roles that bosons play in nuclear reactions?

Yes, bosons also play a role in facilitating fusion reactions, such as in the Sun, where high energy bosons are created and released as a byproduct of nuclear fusion. Additionally, bosons are involved in the process of nuclear fission, where they are emitted as a result of the splitting of a large nucleus into smaller ones.

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