Particle Physics

Question 1

What does the Relativistic-Quantum Interpretation of particle interactions include?

Answer 1

Interactions are the exchange of mediators/gauge bosons. These mediators are virtual, i.e. they violate E^2 != \mod(p)^2 + m^2 and q^2 != m^2 = 0

Gauge bosons are no longer massless when acting as mediators.

Question 2

What do weak interactions preserve and what do they not preserve?

Answer 2

Preserve: Lepton family
Not preserve: Quark flavour

Question 3

What 3 bosons mediate the weak bosons and what are their spin and charge?

Answer 3

W+ : Spin = 1; Charge = +1 \mod(q_e)
W- : Spin = 1; Charge = -1 \mod(q_e)
Z0 : Spin = 1; Charge = 0

Question 4

The strong interaction is mediated by 8 gluons. What is the mass, spin and electric charge of a gluon?

Do gluons have colour charge?

Answer 4

M = 0 when real
S = 1 [as boson]
Q = 0

Has colour charge

Question 5

What interactions do neutrinos interact via?

Answer 5

Weak

Question 6

What interactions do charged leptons interact via?

Answer 6

EM and weak

Question 7

What interactions do quarks interact via?

Answer 7

EM (preserves flavour), weak, strong (as they have colour charge)