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Chapter 33: Q32CQ (page 1211)

Gluons and the photon are massless. Does this imply that the W+. W- and Z0 are the ultimate carriers of the weak force?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The fact that gluons and photons have no mass does not imply that \({W^ + },{W^ - }\)and \({Z^0}\) are the ultimate carriers of the weak force.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of Gluons and the photon

The photon is an electromagnetic field quantum whereas the gluon is a strong nuclear field quantum. Another significant distinction is that free photons can exist, whereas gluons are confined within hadrons due to their color charge.

02

Explanation

The fact that gluons and photons have no mass does not imply that W+. W- and Z0are the ultimate carriers of the weak force. There are no massless carriers of the weak force to which W+. W- orZ0 can be compared.

Even if massless carriers of the weak force existed, there would be no way to compare the two carriers in order to determine "the ultimate" carrier.

If we want to be pedantic, we could say that W+. W- and Z0are the ultimate carriers simply because they are the only carriers (they have no competition for the title of "the ultimate carrier").

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The reaction \({{\rm{\pi }}^{\rm{ + }}}{\rm{ + p}} \to {{\rm{\Delta }}^{{\rm{ + + }}}}\) (described in the preceding problem) takes place via the strong force.

(a) What is the baryon number of the \({{\rm{\Delta }}^{{\rm{ + + }}}}\)particle?

(b) Draw a Feynman diagram of the reaction showing the individual quarks involved.

There are particles called bottom mesons or \({\rm{B}}\)-mesons. One of them is the \({{\rm{B}}^{\rm{ - }}}\)meson, which has a single negative charge; its baryon number is zero, as are its strangeness, charm, and topness. It has a bottomness of \({\rm{ - 1}}\). What is its quark configuration?

(a) What is the uncertainty in the energy released in the decay of a \({{\rm{\pi }}^{\rm{0}}}\)due to its short lifetime?

(b) What fraction of the decay energy is this, noting that the decay mode is \({{\bf{\pi }}^{\bf{0}}} \to {\bf{\gamma }}{\rm{ }} + {\rm{ }}{\bf{\gamma }}\) (so that all the \({\rm{\pi ^0}}\)mass is destroyed)?

The primary decay mode for the negative pion \({\pi ^{\rm{ - }}} \to {{\rm{\mu }}^{\rm{ - }}}{\rm{ + }}{{\rm{\bar \upsilon }}_{\rm{\mu }}}\).

(a) What is the energy release in \({\rm{MeV}}\) in this decay?

(b) Using conservation of momentum, how much energy does each of the decay products receive, given the \({\pi ^{\rm{ - }}}\) is at rest when it decays? You may assume the muon antineutrino is massless and has momentum \(p = \frac{{{E_\nu }}}{c}\), just like a photon.

The \[{{\rm{\pi }}^{\rm{0}}}\]is its own antiparticle and decays in the following manner: \[{\pi ^0} \to \gamma + \gamma \]. What is the energy of each \[\gamma \]ray if the \[{\pi ^0}\] is at rest when it decays?
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