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/sci/ - Science & Math

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4512544 No.4512544 [Reply] [Original]

Question: During beta radiation, how in the world can a neutron transform into both a proton and an electron? I mean, a neutron consists of to up quarks and one down quark, right? How can one of the quarks change spin and an electron suddenly pop out of nowhere?

>> No.4512643

OP needs to read up on the weak nuclear force via interactions with close vector space w and z bosons.

>> No.4512654

Beta decay of a neutron is mediated by a virtual W- boson, which converts one of the down-quarks (charge -1/3) into an up-quark (charge +2/3). Charge is conserved because the virtual W- boson carries away -1 charge (the change from -1/3 to 2/3 is +1). The virtual W- boson decays into an electron and an electron-antineutrino.

W+/- bosons mediate flavor and charge change. Z bosons mediate others.

>> No.4512676

weak interaction breaks all kinds of conservation/symmetry rules

it trolls the other forces, basically

>> No.4512678
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4512678

>>4512676

Breaks no symmetry rules

>> No.4512682

>>4512676

or conservation lol

>> No.4512684

>>4512678
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_interaction#Violation_of_symmetry

even CP is broken. hypothesised reason for no antimatter

>> No.4512689

>>4512678

Weak interaction breaks parity and quark generation number conservation. (which includes strangeness breaking, charm breaking, etc.)