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darkar
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Can any particles last forever? Is that all particles will eventually decays? And is that after decay, in another process they will form back again?
mathman said:Grand unified theories seem to require proton decay. However, all experiments to date have come up with a half life something > 1033 years, i.e. no decays observed.
Flatland said:photons do not decay as they experience no time
darkar said:Can any particles last forever? Is that all particles will eventually decays? And is that after decay, in another process they will form back again?
pallidin said:Time?
"Decay" pre-supposes that there are fundamental particles associated with the original.
Hence, photons do not decay because there is nothing to "decay".
In addition, a photon, though it can exhibit particle-like behavior, is not a particle. It is a force carrier.
My perception(though I could be wrong) is that force-carriers cannot decay, having nothing to do with "time"
Although some theories predict proton decay, there has been no evidence of it. If it does the half life is > 1033 years.neu said:What would the proton decay to?
The answer to this question is complex and depends on the type of particle in question. In classical physics, particles are considered to be eternal and indestructible. However, in quantum physics, it is believed that particles can decay and transform into other particles. Additionally, some particles, like protons, are thought to be stable and may exist forever.
Similar to the previous question, the answer to this one also depends on the context. In terms of the universe, it is currently unknown if it will exist forever. Some theories suggest that the universe will eventually experience heat death or a Big Crunch, while others propose the possibility of an eternal universe. On a smaller scale, certain elements and particles are thought to be stable and may exist forever.
Particle decay is a phenomenon observed in quantum physics where a particle transforms into one or more other particles. This occurs when a particle is unstable and has excess energy that needs to be released. The decay process can involve the emission of radiation or the creation of new particles.
As mentioned earlier, protons are believed to be stable and may exist forever. This is due to the conservation of baryon number, which states that the number of baryons (particles made up of three quarks, such as protons and neutrons) in a closed system cannot change. Therefore, protons cannot decay into other particles, making them potentially eternal.
Scientists use various methods to study the lifespan of particles, including particle accelerators and detectors. By colliding particles at high speeds, scientists can observe the decay of unstable particles and measure their lifespans. Additionally, theoretical models and calculations based on quantum mechanics are also used to predict the lifespans of particles.