Matt Strassler writes a great particle physics column. This one is about
valence quarks and sea quarks in protons and neutrons.
http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/protons-and-neutrons/
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [New post] The Bedlam Within Protons and Neutrons
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:44:05 -0700
From: Of Particular Significance <[email protected]>
Reply-To: Of Particular Significance
<[email protected]>
To: Barrera, Joseph <[email protected]>
WordPress.com
Matt Strassler posted: "My Structure of Matter series has been on hold
for a bit, as I have been debating how to describe protons and neutrons.
These constituents of atomic nuclei, which, when combined with
electrons, form atoms, are drawn in most cartoons of atoms as simple sp"
Respond to this post by replying above this line
New post on *Of Particular Significance*
<http://profmattstrassler.com/author/profmattstrassler/>
The Bedlam Within Protons and Neutrons
<http://profmattstrassler.com/2013/04/15/the-bedlam-within-protons-and-neutrons/>
by Matt Strassler <http://profmattstrassler.com/author/profmattstrassler/>
My Structure of Matter
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/>
series has been on hold for a bit, as I have been debating how to
describe protons and neutrons
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/protons-and-neutrons/>.
These constituents of atomic nuclei,
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/the-nuclei-of-atoms-at-the-heart-of-matter/>
which, when combined with electrons
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/electrons-on-the-outskirts-of-atoms/>,
form atoms
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/atoms-building-blocks-of-molecules/>,
are drawn in most cartoons of atoms
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/atoms-building-blocks-of-molecules/>
as simple spheres. But not only are they much, much smaller than they
are drawn in those cartoons, they hide within them a surprising
commotion, one that cannot be anticipated from the relatively simple
structures of atoms and of nuclei.
As I've described in my new article
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/protons-and-neutrons/>,
along the lines of this short article
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/largehadroncolliderfaq/whats-a-proton-anyway/> and
this more detailed one
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/largehadroncolliderfaq/whats-a-proton-anyway/checking-whats-inside-a-proton/> that
I wrote some time ago in the context of the Large Hadron Collider
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/largehadroncolliderfaq/introduction-to-the-large-hadron-collider/>, the
story that scientists tell the public most often, that ``a proton is
made from two up quarks and a down quark'', is not in fact the full
story -- and in some ways it is deeply misleading. The structure of
protons and neutrons is so entirely unfamiliar, and so complicated, that
scientists neither have a simple way of calculating it, nor an entirely
agreed-upon way to describe it to the public, or even to physics
students. But I believe my way of describing it will be satisfactory to
most particle physicists.
The new article
<http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/the-structure-of-matter/protons-and-neutrons/> is
not entirely complete; it is perhaps only half its final length. I'll
be adding some further sections that cover some subtle issues. But
since I suspect many people won't feel the need to read those later
sections, the completed part is written to stand on its own. If you
like, take a look and let me know if you have questions, suggestions or
corrections.
*Matt Strassler
<http://profmattstrassler.com/author/profmattstrassler/>* | April 15,
2013 at 8:43 AM | Tags: gluons
<http://profmattstrassler.com/?tag=gluons>, proton
<http://profmattstrassler.com/?tag=proton>, quarks
<http://profmattstrassler.com/?tag=quarks> | Categories: LHC Background
Info <http://profmattstrassler.com/?cat=59940768>, Particle Physics
<http://profmattstrassler.com/?cat=12547> | URL: http://wp.me/p1Fmmu-1w3
Comment
<http://profmattstrassler.com/2013/04/15/the-bedlam-within-protons-and-neutrons/#respond>
See all comments
<http://profmattstrassler.com/2013/04/15/the-bedlam-within-protons-and-neutrons/#comments>
Unsubscribe or change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions
<https://subscribe.wordpress.com/?key=d5f71ccea84abb9eb6bc9d7c619fbd13&email=jbarrera%40slac.stanford.edu>.
*Trouble clicking?* Copy and paste this URL into your browser:
http://profmattstrassler.com/2013/04/15/the-bedlam-within-protons-and-neutrons/
Thanks for flying with WordPress.com <http://wordpress.com>
