- #1
nickek
- 21
- 1
Hi!
According to E=mc^2, we have the phenomena mass defect. For example, when we put a proton and neutron together, that particle has a slightly lower mass than the sum of mass of the free particles due to the binding energy between the nucleons. OK, I'm fine with that - a lower energy results in a lower mass.
Now I hear that the binding energy between quarks is responsible for the major part of a proton's (and all particles made of quarks) mass. But shouldn't binding energy *lower* the mass of the quarks in the same manner as the above stated example? Where does my reasoning fail?
/Nick
According to E=mc^2, we have the phenomena mass defect. For example, when we put a proton and neutron together, that particle has a slightly lower mass than the sum of mass of the free particles due to the binding energy between the nucleons. OK, I'm fine with that - a lower energy results in a lower mass.
Now I hear that the binding energy between quarks is responsible for the major part of a proton's (and all particles made of quarks) mass. But shouldn't binding energy *lower* the mass of the quarks in the same manner as the above stated example? Where does my reasoning fail?
/Nick