Baryon asymmetry and conservation of charge

In summary, baryon asymmetry can occur in a neutral universe if there is CP violation, which does not necessarily mean charge nonconservation. This can be illustrated through Sakhorov's conditions, which require baryon number violation, CP violation, and interactions out of thermal equilibrium. CP violation does not necessarily mean charge nonconservation, and even if the relative rates of matter and antimatter decay are different, it does not violate charge conservation.
  • #1
spidey
213
0
I am confused with baryon asymmetry and conservation of charge..we say that there is baryon asymmetry but the universe is neutral..how is that possible..if there is baryon asymmetry then there should be charge asymmetry also? I think i am missing some point..can someone explain these two in detail?

I got the Sakhorov conditions for baryon asymmetry from wikipedia:

1. baryon number violation
2. c or cp violation
3. interactions out of thermal equilibrium

The second point says that there is cp violation for baryon asymmetry to happen.which means the conservation of charge should be violated..so universe cannot be neutral..am i wrong?
 
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  • #2
spidey said:
if there is baryon asymmetry then there should be charge asymmetry also?

Not necessarily. Imagine a universe made up only of neutrons.

spidey said:
The second point says that there is cp violation for baryon asymmetry to happen.which means the conservation of charge should be violated..so universe cannot be neutral..am i wrong?

CP violation does not mean charge isn't conserved. Why do you think it might?
 
  • #3
Vanadium 50 said:
Not necessarily. Imagine a universe made up only of neutrons.



CP violation does not mean charge isn't conserved. Why do you think it might?

we distinguish matter and antimatter based on their charge. what i think as cp violation is, rate at which matter decay is not same as the rate at which antimatter decay. supposing we have 10 matter and 10 antimatter at time t=0. then after some time, 10 matter decays to 10 anti matter but only 5 antimatter decays to matter because of cp violation.so,at last,we 15 antimatter and 5 matter.charge is not conserved.is this calculation correct?
 
  • #4
spidey said:
I am confused with baryon asymmetry and conservation of charge..we say that there is baryon asymmetry but the universe is neutral..how is that possible..if there is baryon asymmetry then there should be charge asymmetry also? I think i am missing some point..can someone explain these two in detail?

I got the Sakhorov conditions for baryon asymmetry from wikipedia:

1. baryon number violation
2. c or cp violation
3. interactions out of thermal equilibrium

The second point says that there is cp violation for baryon asymmetry to happen.which means the conservation of charge should be violated..so universe cannot be neutral..am i wrong?

To illustrate Sakharov's conditions, let me use a silly toy example that probably violates all kinds of stuff.

Consider the reaction where a positron (anti-electron) and a photon combine to form a proton,

Code:
e[SUP]+[/SUP] + gamma --> p[SUP]+[/SUP]

Baryon number conservation goes form zero to +1, so condition 1. is satisfied, but electric charge is conserved.

Suppose this reaction in invariant under C. Then,

Code:
e[SUP]-[/SUP] + gamma --> p[SUP]-[/SUP]

is equally likely to happen. Here, baryon number goes from zero to -1.

For condition 2. to be satisfied (and thus 1.), one of these reaction has to be more likely than the other. This gives baryon number non-conservation while conserving electric charge.
 
  • #5
George Jones said:
To illustrate Sakharov's conditions, let me use a silly toy example that probably violates all kinds of stuff.

Consider the reaction where a positron (anti-electron) and a photon combine to form a proton,

Code:
e[SUP]+[/SUP] + gamma --> p[SUP]+[/SUP]

Baryon number conservation goes form zero to +1, so condition 1. is satisfied, but electric charge is conserved.

Suppose this reaction in invariant under C. Then,

Code:
e[SUP]-[/SUP] + gamma --> p[SUP]-[/SUP]

is equally likely to happen. Here, baryon number goes from zero to -1.

For condition 2. to be satisfied (and thus 1.), one of these reaction has to be more likely than the other. This gives baryon number non-conservation while conserving electric charge.

Thanks..i got the difference..
 
  • #6
spidey said:
we distinguish matter and antimatter based on their charge.

Are you arguing that anti-neutrons don't exist as separate particles? I assure you that they do. (You can tell the difference between a neutron and an anti-neutron by their magnetic properties)

spidey said:
what i think as cp violation is, rate at which matter decay is not same as the rate at which antimatter decay. supposing we have 10 matter and 10 antimatter at time t=0. then after some time, 10 matter decays to 10 anti matter but only 5 antimatter decays to matter because of cp violation.so,at last,we 15 antimatter and 5 matter.charge is not conserved.is this calculation correct?

First, that's CPT violation, not CP violation. There is a a theorem called the "CPT theorem" which states that all theories that can be written down with a finite number of derivatives and respect relativity conserve CPT.

Second, and more fundamentally, if the individual decays themselves don't violate charge conservation, no amount of changing relative rates will cause a charge nonconservation to appear.
 

FAQ: Baryon asymmetry and conservation of charge

1. What is baryon asymmetry?

Baryon asymmetry refers to the unequal abundance of baryons (particles made up of three quarks, such as protons and neutrons) and antibaryons (particles made up of three antiquarks) in the universe. This phenomenon is still not fully understood and is a major topic of research in particle physics and cosmology.

2. How does baryon asymmetry relate to the conservation of charge?

Baryon asymmetry is closely tied to the conservation of charge, which is a fundamental principle in physics stating that the total electric charge in a closed system remains constant over time. The imbalance between baryons and antibaryons in the universe is believed to be a result of a violation of charge symmetry in the early universe.

3. What is the significance of baryon asymmetry and conservation of charge?

Baryon asymmetry and conservation of charge are important concepts in understanding the fundamental laws of nature and the origins of the universe. The fact that there is more matter than antimatter in the universe challenges our understanding of the laws of symmetry and conservation, and studying these phenomena can provide insights into the early stages of the universe.

4. How is baryon asymmetry studied?

Baryon asymmetry is studied through experiments and observations in particle accelerators and through astrophysical observations of cosmic rays and the cosmic microwave background. The Standard Model of particle physics also provides theoretical predictions for baryon asymmetry that can be tested through experiments.

5. Can baryon asymmetry and conservation of charge be explained by the Standard Model?

No, the Standard Model of particle physics does not fully explain the observed baryon asymmetry and the violation of charge symmetry. Other theories, such as supersymmetry and grand unified theories, have been proposed to address these phenomena, but more research and evidence are needed to fully understand them.

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