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Chapter 33: Q9CQ (page 1210)

Theorists have had spectacular success in predicting previously unknown particles. Considering past theoretical triumphs, why should we bother to perform experiments?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Scientists bother to perform experiments to validate the theories and provide live proof for their theories.

Step by step solution

01

Concept Introduction

Particle physics (sometimes known as high-energy physics) is the study of the nature of the particles that make up matter and radiation.

02

Conduction of Experiments

Theorists anticipate the presence of undiscovered particles, but tests are the only way to establish their existence. On the basis of experimental data, a theorist's theory is usually proven to be erroneous.

Einstein dismissed a quantum mechanics-related idea known as spooky activity at a distance. However, by conducting better trials, this notion was subsequently proven to be correct. As a result, conducting tests is required to give proof for any theory.

Therefore, experiments are a proof of a conjecture, so experiments should be carried out.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A proton and an antiproton collide head-on, with each having a kinetic energy of 7.00TeV (such as in the LHC at CERN). How much collision energy is available, taking into account the annihilation of the two masses? (Note that this is not significantly greater than the extremely relativistic kinetic energy.)

Consider an ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray entering the Earth’s atmosphere (some have energies approaching a joule). Construct a problem in which you calculate the energy of the particle based on the number of particles in an observed cosmic ray shower. Among the things to consider are the average mass of the shower particles, the average number per square meter, and the extent (number of square meters covered) of the shower. Express the energy in \({\rm{eV}}\) and joules.

Discuss how we know that \[{\rm{\pi }}\]-mesons\[\left( {{{\rm{\pi }}^{\rm{ + }}}{\rm{,\pi ,}}{{\rm{\pi }}^{\rm{0}}}} \right)\]) are not fundamental particles and are not the basic carriers of the strong force.

Massless particles must travel at the speed of light, while others cannot reach this speed. Why are all massless particles stable? If evidence is found that neutrinos spontaneously decay into other particles, would this imply they have mass?

(a) How much energy would be released if the proton did decay via the conjectured reaction \({\rm{p}} \to {\pi ^{\rm{0}}}{\rm{ + }}{{\rm{e}}^{\rm{ + }}}\)?

(b) Given that the \({\pi ^{\rm{0}}}\) decays to two \(\gamma {\rm{ s}}\) and that the \({{\rm{e}}^{\rm{ + }}}\) will find an electron to annihilate, what total energy is ultimately produced in proton decay?

(c) Why is this energy greater than the proton’s total mass (converted to energy)?
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