Energy Required to Break a Proton into Quarks...?

Question

What would be the energy (in J) required to break a proton into its fundamental constituents (quarks)?

Would the following be a legitimate calculation?

The wiki article on QCD matter states the following:

"At ordinary temperatures or densities this force just confines the quarks into composite particles (hadrons) of size around 1 fm and its effects are not noticeable at longer distances. However, when the temperature reaches the QCD energy scale (T of order 10^12K) or the density rises to the point where the average inter-quark separation is less than 1 fm, the hadrons are melted into their constituent quarks"

Would it, therefore, be correct to assume that a temperature of 10^12 K must be reached in order to break down a proton? Assuming yes, I'll continue.

So, using Hydrogen, as it most closely resembles a lone proton, i'll use the following formula:

(mass of hydrogen sample)(specific heat of hydrogen)(delta T)

The spec. heat of hydrogen is 14.304 J/gK, so the formula would be:

(1g)(14.304J/gK)(10^12 K)= E,

So,1.43x10^14 J would be req'd to raise the temperature of 1g of protons to the point at which it will break down...

Is this calculation even remotely valid, or am I way off?

QCD Matter article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QCD_matter

Answer 1

It's really hard to answer, since no one has ever detected an isolated quark. It would surprise me if breaking a proton into quarks was as simple as raising the temperature, even to 10^12K. We don't know much about quarks. I suspect new ideas about them will come from both high energy particle collisions and from cosmology, trying to guess the properties of a universe younger than a nanosecond. But it is a very good question. Keep thinking and learning!

Answer 2

About 93.8% of the mass of the proton arises from the energy of the quarks, not their mass. Its mass is about 938 MeV/c^2. So thats about 879 MeV of energy (binding and kinetic).

(Energies of nucleons are not measured in Joules - the Joule is far too big - they are measured in electron volts - an electron volt is the energy of moving an electron through 1 volt - MeV means million electon volts).

Answer 3

properly, ..., no that isn't any longer it in any respect. 1st you opt for mass and a ball of concrete even the dimensions of earth does no longer have adequate mass for that. Secondly, on your brother's analogy the concrete would nevertheless be concrete. In a black hollow the stuff on the middle is now no longer count number. this is textile that has been ripped with the exception of this is figure count number and decreased to it irreducible atomic debris. this is id (on the middle) is lost. the extremely id of the count number it once become is encoded (or so this is theorized) on the accretion disk. so that you spot a black hollow is frequently a lot extra complicated that count number that is been all "squashed" mutually. See the link lower than: