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Chapter 34: Q19CQ (page 1237)

How does relativistic time dilation prohibit neutrino oscillations if they are massless?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Because massless particles (travelling at the speed of light) do not experience proper time (time dilation), this is irreconcilable with the notion that oscillations occur on a timeframe.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of Neutrino oscillations.

In case of Neutrino oscillation process neutrino can change itself into any other form spontaneously.

02

Neutrino oscillations prohibition by relativistic time dilation.

Neutrinos would travel at the speed of light if they were massless. We know they wouldn't experience proper time passing because of time dilation. If neutrino oscillations occurred, they would be visible in the neutrino reference frame as well, but there is no timeline for the oscillations to occur because no proper time passes for the neutrino.

This is why, if neutrinos are massless, time dilation prevents them from oscillating.

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