Nuclear Particle Classification

Outline

Nuclear particle classification is scientifically expedient because experimental physicists have heroically measured many short-lived particles that are smaller than atoms, but bigger than quarks. These little granules are vital for developing a quantitative theory of mass. In this article we present a way of sorting hundreds of these nuclear particles into a couple dozen families for easier analysis and reporting.

To summarize developments so far, we have defined the elementary particles of EthnoPhysics by objectifying some common sensations as seeds. Then we considered pairs of seeds and called them quarks. We talked about how quarks are counted and conserved. And we characterized them by their internal energy and temperature.

Over the next few pages EthnoPhysics uses these quarks to make models of nuclear particles. As we consider larger bodies, the number of quarks involved rises dramatically, especially for highly excited particles. And so to be useful, descriptions require some simplification. To manage this complexity we start by sorting quarks into families.

Families of Nuclear Particles

Hundreds of nuclear particles are sorted into just 25 families by omitting field quarks from further consideration. But that is just a first step. Emphasizing minima can also simplify classification in another way: Not all quark-types are relevant and some can just be completely neglected. For example leptonic quarks are not needed to outline the broad categories of nuclear phenomena.

Also, since top-quarks are so highly correlated with bottom-quarks, we do not need to consider both quark-types when assessing overall patterns in the nuclear data. Likewise for strange and charmed-quarks. So sorting out nuclear families depends on examining just 4 different quark-types. We select; up, down, top and strange types.

A third way of minimizing complexity is to ignore the distinction between particles and their conjugate twins. Then we can more efficiently use seed coefficients to make descriptions. For example this happens when electrons and positrons are grouped together and generically called ‘particles that contain electric-seeds’. Seed-coefficients are defined by $N^{\mathsf{Z}} \! \equiv n^{\mathsf{\overline{z}}} + n^{\mathsf{z}} .$ So to describe nuclear families we use $N^{\mathsf{Z}}$ where $\mathsf{Z} \in \mathsf{ \left\{ U, D, T, S \right\} . }$

Superfluous $\mathsf{q \overline{q}}$ pairs are ignored by evaluating the minimum number of Z-type seeds in the core of a particle. These lower bounds are written as $N_{\mathsf{min}}^{\mathsf{Z}} .$ They are used to sort nuclear particles into 25 different categories or family groups, so they are called familial seeds. They are among the smallest aggregates that can distinguish particle families from each other. Iconic images of the familial-seeds for different families are shown below.

Thus nuclear particles are depicted as having a kernel of quarks containing familial-seeds in their core. Other quarks that determine P’s individual character are also in its core. For stability some $\mathsf{q \overline{q}}$ pairs are included in P’s field. Then excited states are modeled by adding even more quarks.

Classification by Down Quarks

The most important characteristic for nuclear particle classification is the minimum number of down quarks in a particle’s core, $N_{\mathsf{min}}^{\mathsf{D}} \, .$ But this compound symbol is unwieldy, so we also use a more condensed symbol written as 🅓 $\equiv \hspace{-1px} N_{\mathsf{min}}^{\mathsf{D}}$ . The list below shows 🅓 in descending order as particles become less baryonic and more leptonic, finally arriving at the Higgs boson. Click on any icon for a more detailed look at quark models.

🅓 = 16
𝞨

🅓 = 12
𝞓 𝞝

🅓 = 10
𝟂

🅓 = 8
𝞢 𝞚 𝙝 𝞦 𝙗 𝟇 𝞤

🅓 = 6
𝟀

🅓 = 4
𝙆 𝙉 𝘿 𝙥 𝙣

🅓 = 2
𝞰 𝙛

🅓 = 0
𝞶 𝙚 𝞵 𝞽 𝞹 𝒂 𝞺 𝘽 𝙅 𝝍 𝙒 𝙕 𝙃

icon for big electromagnetic bosons — 𝙒, 𝙕 and 𝙃 Bosons

neutrinos family icon family size — Neutrinos

Click on any icon in the foregoing list for a more detailed look at quark models.

Classification by Binding Type

Here are four mutually exclusive categories that classify nuclear particles based on their central binding energy. Please see the discussion about a simple particle model for more detail.

Strong Bonding

There are many particles that are joined together by this kind of bonding. Most noteworthy are the electron 𝙚 and the hydrogen atom 𝐇. But also including the other leptons 𝝁 𝞽 and 𝞶, the baryons 𝞚 𝞢 𝞝 and 𝞨, plus the mesons 𝞰 𝞺 𝙆^◦ 𝙛 𝘿 𝘽 𝙅 𝝍 𝟂 and 𝞆.

Chemical Bonding

The proton 𝙥, the neutrons 𝙣 and 𝙉, along with the delta baryons 𝜟, are all tied together by this sort of bonding. Please see the discussion about chemical bonding for more detail.

Kaonic Bonding

This sort of binding technically includes photons. But photons have no mass, and no well-defined position when considered as individuals. So solitary photons are not usually considered like other bound particles. In any case, the only material quanta in this eponymous category are the charged kaons 𝙆^±. There are about two dozen of them.

Thermoelectric Bonding

Particles in this category are not bound by a strong central force. Instead, we say that thermal or electromagnetic effects hold them together with thermoelectric bonding. This category includes the mesons $\text{\textsf{\textbf{\textsl{\large{a}}}}}$ $\text{\textsf{\textbf{\textsl{b}}}}$ $\pi$ $\mathit{\phi}$ $\text{\textsf{\textbf{\textsl{h}}}}$ $\text{\textsf{\textbf{\textsl{X}}}}$ ϒ and also the big electromagnetic bosons 𝙒 𝙕 and 𝙃. The binding for most of these particles is described by their Coulomb energy. But the pions $\pi^{\mathsf{0}}$ and $\pi^{\pm}$ are thermally united. The meson $\text{\textsf{\textbf{\textsl{a}}}}_{\mathsf{0}} \mathsf{(1450)}$ is electrically tied. Whereas the meson $\mathit{\phi}_{\mathsf{3}} \mathsf{(1850)}$ and the meson $\text{\textsf{\textbf{\textsl{b}}}}_{\mathsf{1}} \mathsf{(1235)}$ are magnetically bonded.