Nuclear Science and Engineering

(16B1NPH535)

Module-6
Cosmic radiation and
Elementary Particles

Dr. Manoj Tripathi

 Particle Physics

Particle physics is a branch of physics that studies the elementary constituents of matter
and radiation, and the interactions between them. It is also called "high energy physics",
because many elementary particles do not occur under normal circumstances in nature,
but can be created and detected during energetic collisions of other particles, as is done in
particle accelerators

Everything in the universe, from stars and planets, to us is made from the same basic
building blocks - particles of matter. Some particles were last seen only billionths of a
second after the Big Bang. Others form most of the matter around us today.

Particle physics studies these very small building block particles and works out how they
interact to make the universe look and behave the way it does
 Fundamental forces

Particle interactions are expressed in terms of four fundamental forces. In order of decreasing
strength, these forces are the strong nuclear force, the electromagnetic force, the weak nuclear
force, and the gravitational force.

Strong nuclear force

The strong nuclear force is a very strong attractive force that acts only over very short
distances (about 10−15m).

The strong nuclear force is responsible for binding protons and neutrons together in
atomic nuclei.

Not all particles participate in the strong nuclear force; for instance, electrons and
neutrinos are not affected by it. As the name suggests, this force is much stronger than
the other forces
 Fundamental forces

Electromagnetic force

The electromagnetic force can act over very large distances (it has an infinite range) but
is only 1/100 the strength of the strong nuclear force. Particles that interact through
this force are said to have “charge.” In the classical theory of static electricity
(Coulomb’s law), the electric force varies as the product of the charges of the
interacting particles, and as the inverse square of the distances between them. In
contrast to the strong force, the electromagnetic force can be attractive or repulsive
(opposite charges attract and like charges repel). The magnetic force depends in a more
complicated way on the charges and their motions. The unification of the electric and
magnetic force into a single electromagnetic force (an achievement of James Clerk
Maxwell) stands as one of the greatest intellectual achievements of the nineteenth
century. This force is central to scientific models of atomic structure and molecular
bonding.
 Fundamental forces

Weak nuclear force

The weak nuclear force acts over very short distances (10−15m) and, as its name
suggest, is very weak. The weak force is vitally important because it is essential
for understanding stellar nucleosynthesis—the process that creates new
atomic nuclei in the cores of stars.

It is roughly 10−6 the strength of the strong nuclear force.

This force is manifested most notably in decays of elementary particles and

neutrino interactions. For example, the neutron can decay to a proton,
electron, and electron neutrino through the weak force.

The weak force is vitally important because it is essential for understanding

stellar nucleosynthesis—the process that creates new atomic nuclei in the
cores of stars.
 Nuclear Deutreon

Gravitational force

Like the electromagnetic force, the gravitational force can act over infinitely
large distances; however, it is only 10−38 as strong as the strong nuclear force.
In Newton’s classical theory of gravity, the force of gravity varies as the
product of the masses of the interacting particles and as the inverse square of
the distance between them.

This force is an attractive force that acts between all particles with mass. In
modern theories of gravity, this force behavior is considered a special case for
low-energy macroscopic interactions. Compared with the other forces of
nature, gravity is by far the weakest.
 Classification of Elementary Particle

Classification by spin

Fermions Bosons

Fermions have half-integral spin. Bosons have integral spin.

1/2ℏ, 3/2ℏ, 5/2ℏ ... 0, ℏ, 2ℏ, 3ℏ ...

Follow Pauli’s Exclusion Principles. Does not follow Pauli’s Exclusion Principles.

Wave function is anti symmetric. Wave function is symmetric.

Example: electron, proton, neutron. Example: photon.

 Classification of Elementary Particle

Elementary Particles

Fermions Bosons

Leptons Massless

Baryons Mesons

Nucleon Lamda
Eta
Sigma
Hyperon Kaon
Cascade
Omega Pion
 Classification of Elementary Particle

Elementary Particles

Hadrons Lepton

Meson
Baryons
Eta
Nucleon Lamda
Sigma Kaon
Hyperon
Cascade Pion
Omega
 Quantum numbers

2I+1 = multiplicity
Depends upon the
multiplicity Same for a family
Isospin (I)

I3 Distinguishes between the particles in a family

Electronic charge (Q) Electronic charge is denoted as superscript

Quantum
numbers Lepton number (L) +1 for Leptons & -1 for their anti particles

Baryon Number (B) +1 for Baryons & -1 for their anti particles

Parity (P) Linked to symmetry P = +1 symmetric

of wave function P = -1 ant symmetric
Properties of elementary particles
 Strangeness
Hyperons behave in a different way from other particles. These are produced through the strong
interactions but exhibit few properties of weak interactions.
These are always produced in pairs e.g. κ-meson in association with Λ and Σ-hyperons. This effect
is called associated production by pairs.
It is a property of an elementary particles.
It is defined as a quantum number called strange quantum number denoted by S. (don’t confuse
with spin s)
It is a property of subatomic particles, and only applies to those known as hadrons, which include
protons, neutrons, pions, kaons, and lambda, omega, and rho particles, among others.
The strangeness of a particle is the sum of the strangeness of its component quarks.
strangeness is conserved in all processes mediated by the strong interactions as well as by the
electromagnetic interactions.
strangeness is not conserved in weak interactions.
 Gell-Man- Nishjima Formula
Particle Q I I3 B Remarks
Proton +1 ½ +1/2 1 
Neutron 0 ½ -1/2 1 
Pion (π+) +1 1 +1 0 
Pion (π-) -1 1 -1 0 
Sigma (Σ+) +1 1 +1 1 x
Lamda(Λo) 0 0 0 1 x
Clearly there is something Particle Q I I3 B S Remarks
wrong with the Gell-Mann-
Nishjima Formula. Proton +1 ½ +1/2 1 0 
Neutron 0 ½ -1/2 1 0 
To overcome this issue a the
Pion (π+) +1 1 +1 0 0 
Gell-Mann-Nishjima Formula
was modified. Pion (π-) -1 1 -1 0 0 
Sigma (Σ+) +1 1 +1 1 -1 
Lamda(Λo) 0 0 0 1 -1 
 Properties of Baryons

BARYONS BARYON OCTATE

Particle Q L B I I3 S
p +1 0 +1 1/2 +1/2 0
n 0 0 +1 1/2 -1/2 0
Λ 0 0 +1 0 0 -1
Σ+ +1 0 +1 1 +1 -1
Σo 0 0 +1 1 0 -1
Σ- -1 0 +1 1 -1 -1
Ξo 0 0 +1 1/2 +1/2 -2
Ξ- -1 0 +1 1/2 -1/2 -2
 Properties of Baryons
Y

+1
n p S=0

-1 Σo +1 S = -1
Σ -
Σ+
-1/2 Λo +1/2 I3

Q=
+1
κ- κo S = -2
-1

Q = -1 Q=0
Properties of Baryons
 Properties of Mesons

MESONS MESON OCTATE

Particle Q L B I I3 S
π+ +1 0 0 1 +1 0
πO 0 0 0 1 0 0
π- -1 0 0 1 -1 0
κ+ +1 0 0 1/2 +1/2 1
κ0 0 0 0 1/2 -1/2 1
0 0 0 1/2 +1/2 -1
κ- -1 0 0 1/2 -1/2 -1
η0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Properties of elementary particles
 Conservation Laws in elementary particles
Conservation Laws

Isospin  Total Energy

I
3  Linear Momentum

Strangeness  Angular Momentum

Parity Electronic Charge 

Charge Conjugation Leptonic Charge 
Time Reversal Baryonic Charge 
May or may
not hold Must hold