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Anonymous
Dumb physics question 2017-07-30 05:17:41 Post No. 9073847
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Dumb physics question 2017-07-30 05:17:41 Post No. 9073847
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Particles can decay into other particles. Those in turn can decay into yet another particles, until the resultant particles can't decay anymore.
But, why can't particle "a" decay into particle "b", which in turn decays into particle "a"? Would that require arbitrary amounts of energy always at hand or something?
Pic unrelated.
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>>9073847
Since energy is conserved in particle interactions, a heavier (higher-energy) particle can only decay into a set of particles, each of which is lighter (lower-energy) than the original. As such, particle B has to be lighter than particle A.
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>>9073854
Can't it be that 2 particles have the same energy, while being 2 distinct types of particles? Or would conservation laws require that to become a different particle the original should gain/loose energy?
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Neutrinos sort of do this, although it is not decay as that term implies reduction in energy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrino_oscillation
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