Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe Do protons live forever?
Aug 13, 2020
Can protons really decay, or are they eternal like electrons? The discussion dives into particle decay, explaining the randomness behind it and the factors that dictate how particles behave. Neutrons decay while protons seemingly hold steady, leading to intriguing theories about matter and antimatter. Learn about cutting-edge experiments in massive underground detectors that search for the elusive signs of proton decay. The implications of these findings could reshape our understanding of cosmology and the universe itself.
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Why Electrons Are Fundamentally Stable
- An isolated electron cannot decay because there is no allowed lighter state that conserves charge and other rules.
- Therefore a single-electron universe would remain an electron forever according to current laws.
Proton Stability Tied To Baryon Number
- Protons are baryons made of three quarks and the universe appears to conserve baryon number in interactions.
- The proton is the lightest three-quark state, so it cannot decay within the known forces unless baryon number is violated.
How Experiments Search For Proton Decay
- Experiments don't watch a single proton for eons; they monitor huge numbers of protons at once.
- Super-Kamiokande watches roughly 10^32 protons in water to set statistical limits on proton lifetime.