The Collision of Two Protons


At CERN, in Switzerland, experiments are being conducted to cause a head-on collision of two protons. When the collision occurs, each proton is traveling at extremely high velocities.

We would like to view what is happening from the point of view which is positioned precisely between the protons, so that we see each coming toward the observer with identical velocities,$v$. that is, one proton is traveling in one direction and the other in the opposite direction (the center of mass reference frame).

Of course, before the collision, the masses, charges and spins of the two protons are identical. Furthermore the kinetic energies, called $T$, of the two particles are identical (and with the same sign). The linear momenta of the protons, called $k$, are the same, but the momentum of one proton has a positive sign and the other has a negative sign.

To watch what happens as the two protons approach each other and then collide, we employ a special camera (for our thought experiment.) This camera is defined to have a shutter speed of $10^{-23}$ seconds. The camera has the capability of monitoring and recording values of the mass, charge, spin, linear momentum, kinetic energies and (changes in) potential energies of the entities in our experiment. Also, it records the photons and neutrinos emitted in the process.

Before the collision, the masses of the protons, called $m_p$, are the same. One velocity has a plus sign, the other has a minus sign. One linear momentum is +$k$, and the other is -$k$. When the collision occurs, at t=0, the total linear momentum (the sum of the two) is 0.

The velocities become 0 as each is stopped by the collision. The total kinetic energies before the collision is $2*T$, but, just after the collision it becomes 0 as the values of $v$ become 0. Where did this kinetic energy go? To answer this question, we look to our camera to examine what it 'sees' during the interval starting with the first contact of the two protons and extending for the following $10^{-23}$ seconds.

We confirm that the velocities are 0, the linear momenta are 0. The combined protons are not moving so the total kinetic energy is 0. Nothing has changed with the spin or charge, and for the moment, there are no photons or neutrinos present. However, we find a huge amount of mass - much more than was there before. The Einstein equation $E = m\:c^2$ gives us our clue. The huge $2*T$ of before is now seen as mass!

For his brief instant, our camera would see a 'particle' of mass $ 2 m_p + 2 T/c^2$.

It should be pointed out that the diameter of a proton is roughly $1.755*10^{-15}$ meters. The velocity of light is $3.0*10^8$ meters/second. Using the very simple formula $s=v*t$, we see that light moves the total distance of 1.71 times the total diameter of the proton.

Please examine a table of subatomic particles. See how many newly discovered "heavy" subatomic fundamental particles have a mean lifetime of less than $10^{-23}$ seconds. Are they saying that these are actually particles that are around for less time that it takes for light to pass by just the nucleus of an atom?

It is the opinion of this author that the CERN data are all good, but the data are being misinterpreted. The heavy bosons that are being discovered are actually excited states of the 2-proton plasma that exists for the brief period from when the collision first occurs until just before the plasma explodes into a shower of reaction products.

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04/10/17