Particle Physics

• fundamental - no internal structure and cannot be broken down further into other smaller particles
• Fundamental Forces


  The four basic forces that govern the behavior of particles and objects at the smallest scales: Strong Nuclear Force, Weak Nuclear Force, Electromagnetic Force, and Gravitational Force.
• Gauge Bosons


  Particles that mediate fundamental forces: Photon (γ) for Electromagnetic Force, Gluons (g) for Strong Nuclear Force, and W and Z bosons for Weak Nuclear Force.
• Leptons


  A class of subatomic particles that don't participate in the Strong Nuclear Force: Electrons (e-), Muon (μ-), Tau (τ-), and Neutrinos.
• Quarks


  Fundamental building blocks of matter, making up protons, neutrons, and other subatomic particles: Up (u), Down (d), Charm (c), Strange (s), Top (t), and Bottom (b) quarks, with unique flavors and colors.
• What are baryons made of?


  Three quarks
• Antiquarks


  Antiparticle counterparts of quarks, with same mass but opposite charge, interacting with quarks via Strong Nuclear Force, forming mesons (quark-antiquark pairs).
• What are the fundamental particles listed in the study material?


  Quarks, leptons, gauge bosons
• What is the rest energy of a photon?


  0 MeV
• What is the rest energy of an electron?


  0.510999 MeV
• What is the rest energy of a muon?


  105.659 MeV
• What is the rest energy of a proton?


  938.257 MeV
• What is the rest energy of a neutron?


  939.551 MeV
• Why is MeV used instead of joules in particle physics?


  MeV is a more convenient unit for measuring energy at the particle level
• What happens during annihilation of a particle and its antiparticle?


  Their mass is converted to energy, producing two photons
• What is produced when a particle and its antiparticle annihilate?


  Two photons of electromagnetic radiation
• What is pair production?


  The process where a photon is converted into a particle and its antiparticle
• If a photon interacts with a nucleus, what can happen?


  It may be converted into a particle and its antiparticle
• How does pair production differ from annihilation?


  Pair production creates a particle-antiparticle pair, while annihilation converts mass to energy
• What are the types of gauge bosons in the Standard Model?


  • Photon (γ)
  • W boson (W)
  • Z boson (Z)
  • Gluon (g)
  • Higgs boson (h)
• What are the types of leptons in the Standard Model?


  • Electron (e)
  • Muon (μ)
  • Tau (τ)
  • Neutrinos (νₑ, νμ, ντ)
• What are the types of quarks in the Standard Model?


  • Up (u)
  • Down (d)
  • Charm (c)
  • Strange (s)
  • Top (t)
  • Bottom (b)
• What is the significance of the Higgs boson?


  • It gives mass to other particles
  • It is a scalar boson
  • It is a fundamental part of the Standard Model
• Significance of Antiquarks


  Antiquarks ensure symmetry in particle interactions, create new particles (mesons), participate in the Weak Nuclear Force, and reinforce fundamental forces, demonstrating the universe's symmetrical and balanced nature.
• Hadrons


  Subatomic particles composed of quarks, bound together by the Strong Nuclear Force, including baryons (protons, neutrons), mesons (pions, kaons), and pentaquarks (theoretical).
• Baryons


  Hadrons composed of three quarks, held together by the Strong Nuclear Force, including protons, neutrons, lambda baryons, xi baryons, and omega baryons.
• Mesons


  Hadrons composed of one quark and one antiquark, held together by the Strong Nuclear Force, including pions, kaons, D-mesons, and B-mesons.
• What are the three fundamental particles mentioned?

  Quarks, leptons, gauge bosons
• What are the types of quarks listed?

  u, d, c, s, t, b
• What are the types of leptons listed?

  e, νe, μ, νμ, τ, ντ
• What are the gauge bosons mentioned?

  g, W+, W-, Z0, γ
• What particles are made of quarks?

  Hadrons, baryons, mesons
• What is the composition of a proton?

  uud
• What is the composition of a neutron?

  udd
• What is the composition of a π+ meson?

  u d
• What is the composition of a π- meson?

  ū d
• What is the composition of a π0 meson?

  uū and dd
• What is the composition of a K+ meson?

  u s-
• What conservation laws are always upheld?

  Energy, momentum, charge, lepton number, baryon number
• What is the lepton number for a lepton?

  +1