Electron particle shape

[astroron (Ron)]

A subject I know absolutly nothing about but some people may find this article interesting
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13545453
Cheers

[renormalised (Carl)]

Very interesting article

Funny thing is this...the electron is (supposedly) a fundamental particle and isn't made up of smaller particles. Essentially it is a zero dimensional point. Having a shape, round or otherwise, denotes structure and hence something that is made up of smaller units. Therefore it cannot be fundamental, in any way, shape (pardon the pun) or form if the definition of what is a fundamental particle holds true. If, as String Theory predicts, that all particles are nothing more than vibrating packets of energy, then for a fundamental particle to have a shape, it would have to be the "surface" that was defined by the average wavelength and frequency of that string which made it up. Much like the electron cloud around the nucleus of an atom. That is the only way in which a point could be defined as having a "shape".

[astroron (Ron)]

Thanks Carl I know absolutly nothing about this subject and am looking forward to peope like yourself and others to enlighten me just like in the Missing Mass thread
Cheers

[DavidU (Dave)]

is the link wrong?

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by DavidU

is the link wrong?

Sorry Dave all fixed now

[Robh (Rob)]

Ron, most interesting

and more interesting info here ...
http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...periment-finds

To quote: "Although the electron has traditionally been considered to be an infinitesimally small point of charge, it actually drags a cloud of virtual particles around".

I have that niggling feeling that all I know is very little indeed!

Regards, Rob

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by Robh

Ron, most interesting

and more interesting info here ...
http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...periment-finds

To quote: "Although the electron has traditionally been considered to be an infinitesimally small point of charge, it actually drags a cloud of virtual particles around".

I have that niggling feeling that all I know is very little indeed!

Regards, Rob

What that tells me is that their point particle, the electron, is actually a gestalt, made up of a number of particles apart from the actual electron itself. It's a composite particle and not a fundamental particle as the traditional definition of a fundamental particle would label an electron.

Makes you wonder about all the other fundamental particles. Also makes you wonder about these virtual particles. What is their relationship to the electron, what are their own properties and what happens with them during particle interactions...amongst a raft of other questions.

[adman (Adam)]

can't a virtual particle do anything and be anything as long as it doesn't violate the uncertainty principle?