Each of the following reactions is forbidden. Determine a...

Each of the following reactions is forbidden. Determine a conservation law that is violated for each reaction. (a) $\quad \mathrm{p}+\overline{\mathrm{p}} \rightarrow \mu^{+}+\mathrm{e}^{-}$ (b) $\quad \pi^{-}+\mathrm{p} \rightarrow \mathrm{p}+\pi^{+}$ (c) $\quad \mathrm{p}+\mathrm{p} \rightarrow \mathrm{p}+\pi^{+}$ (d) $p+p \rightarrow p+p+n$ (e) $\quad \gamma+p \rightarrow n+\pi^{0}$

Each of the following reactions is forbidden. Determine a conservation law that is violated for each reaction.
(a) $\quad \mathrm{p}+\overline{\mathrm{p}} \rightarrow \mu^{+}+\mathrm{e}^{-}$
(b) $\quad \pi^{-}+\mathrm{p} \rightarrow \mathrm{p}+\pi^{+}$
(c) $\quad \mathrm{p}+\mathrm{p} \rightarrow \mathrm{p}+\pi^{+}$
(d) $p+p \rightarrow p+p+n$
(e) $\quad \gamma+p \rightarrow n+\pi^{0}$

Labs

Want to see this concept in action?

NEW

Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.

View Labs

Key Concepts

Electric Charge Conservation

This principle states that the total electric charge of an isolated system remains constant in all physical processes. In particle reactions, the sum of the electric charges before and after the event must be equal. Violations occur when the reaction yields a different net charge from what is initially present, thereby indicating the reaction is forbidden.

Baryon Number Conservation

Baryon number is a quantum number representing the total number of baryons (particles such as protons and neutrons) minus the number of antibaryons. In any physical process, the baryon number must remain unchanged. Reactions that result in an imbalance in the initial and final baryon numbers are prohibited by this conservation law.

Lepton Family Number Conservation

Lepton family number conservation (or separate lepton number conservation) requires that the number of leptons of each flavor (such as electrons, muons, and tau particles) remains constant in a reaction. While the total lepton number might be zero, each family must separately balance between the initial state and final state. Violating this rule—by producing a different number of leptons in one family than is present initially—renders a reaction forbidden.

Transcript

Please give Ace some feedback