A popular account states: "the (quark content

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Particle Physics & Quantum Fields · Particles, interactions and experiment · Particles, interactions and experiment

Particle Physics, Ch Quantum numbers, conservation laws and allowed reactions

Problem

A popular account states: "the Ξ0\Xi^0 (quark content ussuss, mass 1314.9 MeV/c21314.9\,\mathrm{MeV}/c^2) has more than enough mass to decay directly to a proton (mass 938.3 MeV/c2938.3\,\mathrm{MeV}/c^2) and a π−\pi^- (mass 139.6 MeV/c2139.6\,\mathrm{MeV}/c^2); the reaction Ξ0→p+π−\Xi^0 \to p + \pi^- conserves charge and baryon number and releases 237.0 MeV237.0\,\mathrm{MeV}, so it must occur." ((a)) Check charge and baryon number for this proposed decay, and confirm the quoted energy release. ((b)) Find the strangeness of Ξ0\Xi^0, pp and π−\pi^- from their quark content, and use this to say whether the decay is in fact allowed as written.

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