Elementary Particle Physics

Ananta C. Pradhan
NIT Rourkela

Structure Within the atom

Structure Within the atom

Forces of Nature

Gravitational force (1045 ): interaction between masses,

particles affected - all, Exchanged particle Graviton.

Weak force (108 ): responsible for some nuclear decays

and reactions in stellar interiors, particles affected - Quarks
and Lepton, Exchanged particle intermediate bosons.

Electromagnetic force (102 ): restricted to electrically

charged particles holds atoms/molecules together, particles
affected - charged particles, Exchanged particle Photons.

Strong (nuclear) force (1): holds nuclei together,

particles affected - (quarks and hardrons), Exchanged particle
(Gluon and Mesons).

Forces of Nature

Particles

Particle Classification - Particle Zoo

All particles are classified into two categories leptons and

Hadrons, depending on whether they respond to the strong
interaction or not.

Particle Classification - Particle Zoo

Hadrons

They may experience all four forces,

Are not elementary particles,
Have structure and size,
Are of two categories
1

Baryons: Heavy particles, Examples: (p, n, , , ,

antiparticles), All have half-integer spin (fermions), Some are
stable (do not decay), consists of three quarks
mesons: less heavy, Examples: (, , , K , antiparticles),
All have integer spin (bosons), All are unstable, consists of two
quarks

Elementary Particles: Hadrons

Elementary Particles: Hadrons

Elementary Particles: Hadrons

Particle Classification - Particle Zoo

Leptons

Except the strong force, experience all other three forces.

Are elementary particles, no internal structure, zero size

(< 1016 cm) .

All have spin 1/2, they are fermions, Generally light (but not
always)

There are only 6 (plus 6 antiparticles): e, , , e , ,

Elementary Particles: Leptons

Particle Classification - Particle Zoo

Quarks
1

Experience all four forces

Are elementary particles, no internal structure, zero size

Are the constituents of hadrons (baryons and mesons)

Come in 6 types (flavors): u (up), d (down), s (strange), c

(charmed), t (top), b (bottom), plus a set of antiquarks

Have fractional electric charge (+ 2/3 e, -1/3 e)

All have spin 1/2 (fermions)

Are not found isolated in the laboratory

Baryons are made of 3 quarks, mesomns of 2

Elementary Particles: Quarks

Particle Classification - Particle Zoo

Field Quanta (or Gauge Bosons)

Are elementary particles, no int ernal structure, zero size

They are the force carriers

All have spin 1 (graviton 2) - (bosons)

8 gluons strong interaction

(photon) (Electromagnetic interaction), W-bosons

(W + , W , W 0 ) Weak interaction.

Elementary Particles: Bosons

Conservation Laws

Lepton numbers

Baryon numbers

Charge

spin

Strangeness numbers

State the Conservation Laws

0 + +

+ p n + 0

+ + p p + 0 + + +

+ n p +

p + p n + p + +

p + p p + 0 + +

e + + e + + +

p + p p + + + 0 + K 0

Elementary Particles: Bosons

Particle Classification - Particle Zoo

1

Hadrons: They may experience all four forces Are not

elementary particles have structure and size Two
categories
1

Baryons: Heavy particles, Examples: (p, n, , , ,

antiparticles), All have half-integer spin (fermions), Some are
stable (do not decay), consists of three quarks
mesons: less heavy, Examples: (, , , K , antiparticles),
All have integer spin (bosons), All are unstable, consists of two
quarks

leptons:
1
2
3
4

Except the strong force, experience all other three forces.

Are elementary particles, no internal structure, zero size.
All have spin 1/2 (fermions)
There are only 6 (plus 6 antiparticles): e, , , e , ,