How often would a ϕ meson decay to a electron-positron pair?

In summary, the decay of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair occurs relatively infrequently, with a branching ratio of about 1.3% for this specific process. The decay is mediated by electromagnetic interactions, and while the ϕ meson primarily decays into other mesons, the electron-positron decay channel is one of the less common outcomes among its various decay modes.
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imgamedeving
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TL;DR Summary
If a J/ψ decays to an electron-positron pair 5% of the time, how often would a ϕ
meson decay to a electron-positron pair?
I know the mass of J/ψ to be 3097 mev and the mass of phi to be 1018 mev. I know that J/ψ decays to electron and positron 5% of the time. I also know the full width of j/psi to be 0.092mev and that the phi meson lives 50 times longer than J/ψ
. My professor claims that if I am given that info and can draw the feynman diagrams for both interactions then it should be possible to make an estimate on how often the phi meson decays to electron-positron pair too. But I dont understand how this can done.I have drawn both diagrams (c-cbar or s-sbar to electron and positron with photon boson between). I also know the following formulas:

total width = \hbar / \tau where tau is the decay time of the particle. I also know that the branching fraction is given as:

BF = partial width / total widthIm not sure how one could estimate the branching fraction of phi to electron-positron pair.
 
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  • #2
imgamedeving said:
My professor claims ,,, But I dont understand
And when you told him you didn't understand, what did he say?

If you are more interested in the answer, you can look it up: pdp.lbl.gov.
 
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  • #3
imgamedeving said:
and that the phi meson lives 50 times longer than J/ψ
You might want to check that.
 

FAQ: How often would a ϕ meson decay to a electron-positron pair?

What is the branching ratio for a ϕ meson decaying to an electron-positron pair?

The branching ratio for a ϕ meson decaying to an electron-positron pair is approximately 3 x 10^-4, meaning this decay mode is quite rare.

How does the decay of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair compare to other decay modes?

The decay of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair is much less frequent compared to its dominant decay modes, such as into kaon pairs (K+K− and K0K̄0), which have branching ratios around 50% each.

What factors influence the decay rate of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair?

The decay rate of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair is influenced by the electromagnetic interaction, phase space considerations, and the intrinsic properties of the meson, such as its mass and quantum numbers.

Why is the decay of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair rare?

The decay of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair is rare because it proceeds through an electromagnetic interaction, which is weaker compared to the strong interaction responsible for the more common decay modes involving kaons.

How is the decay of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair detected experimentally?

The decay of a ϕ meson to an electron-positron pair is detected experimentally using particle detectors that can identify and measure the energy and momentum of electrons and positrons, such as electromagnetic calorimeters and tracking detectors in particle physics experiments.

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