Re: Question About Charged Particles.

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@HEP.ANL.GOV>]

Hi all-
        When you mix classical physics, quantum physics and relativity it
should not be a surprise that anomalies occur.  This particular question
constructs a complete sentence that, as far as I can see, cannot be
transcribed in the language of any particular formalism.  Let us remember
that mathematics is the language of physics; sentences only serve to
remind us of mathematical equations.
        In other words, the question proposed is, as far as I can see,
meaningless like "where does the light go when it goes out?"
        More precisely, in what formalism is it true that "there is an
electromagnetic mass associated with a charged particle?".  And in what
formalism is it true that "Gluons are believed to have zero rest mass even
though they carry a color charge"?
        Having said all this, there is a simple answer to the
non-question; "gluons carry color charge and have zero rest mass, they
are therefore unobservable in isolation."
                                        Regards,
                                                Jack

On Fri, 6 Apr 2001, Robert B Zannelli wrote:

> Dear List Members:
>         A question came up on another list concerning the possibility of a
> charged particle having a zero rest mass. It would seem that this would be
> impossible for several reasons, the most obvious being, that there is an
> electromagnetic mass associated with a charged particle.  Also Gluons are
> believed to have zero rest mass even though they carry a color charge, plus
> neutrinos carry a weak charge and were once thought to be massless. Therefore
> is the answer to this question conditioned on the range of the force
> involved? Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Bob Zannelli
>
> PS Most theories beyond the standard model treats all particles as if they
> had zero rest mass.  In fact it is the Higgs field breaking Chiral Symmetry
> that gives particles of the standard model their rest mass. Can this be
> reconciled with the above?

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