[“Quantum foundations” series] As noted in my post “Proton Soup,” a quark – another so-called elementary point particle – is typically discussed in the context of an atomic composite particle’s roiling quark-gluon dynamic [1] – rather than in a solitary state. Stable matter depends on stable protons, a quantum “soup” held together by quantum chromodynamics… Continue reading Quarks – extremely inseparable
[Draft] Why is everyday matter so stable? We take it for granted that the lifetime of (non-radioactive) atoms is billions of years. Same for the protons and neutrons in their nuclei (barring a high-energy interaction). Unlike protons, lifetimes are not the same for bound and unbound “free” neutrons. Beta decay. Sticking around for billions of… Continue reading Particle lifetimes – live forever or die quickly?
I read more articles this past week about research on the proton. Some refined measurements. Some better insights into topics in quantum theory. Rather than add comments to related posts, I decided that a new post was appropriate. It struck me that the proton, as a composite particle (“particle” in the sense of an excitation… Continue reading Proton soup – a turbulent, dynamically complicated structure
