2
$\begingroup$

I know there are particles with $1e$ charge like protons and electrons. Atomic nuclei can have charge of $Ze$ on basis of their proton number $Z$. Are there any particles out there with charge $2e$ or $3e$....etc?

$\endgroup$
2
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Didn't you just mentioned nuclei? If you mean "fundamental" particles, you should add that to the question. $\endgroup$
    – ohneVal
    Commented Jul 19, 2020 at 18:15
  • $\begingroup$ i want consider hadrons as well $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 19, 2020 at 18:16

3 Answers 3

5
$\begingroup$

Under the current understanding of the Standard Model, there are only three possible charge magnitudes for fundamental particles: $e$ (for leptons such as electrons), $\frac23 e$, and $\frac13 e$ (for various types of quarks). There are also uncharged fundamental particles (neutrinos). So if we restrict ourselves to fundamental particles, the answer is that no more highly charged particles exist.

However, baryons are composite particles formed from three quarks, and if all three have charge $\frac23 e$, then the resulting particle will have net charge $2e$. This would be the highest charge possible for a conventional baryon; and several such baryons have been observed (such as the $\Delta ^{++}$ noted in JEB’s answer.)

Exotic baryons such as pentaquarks could, I think, in principle even have a charge of $3e$ (for example, a pentaquark with valence quarks $uuuu\bar{d}$.) But only a couple of pentaquark baryons have been detected to date, and both of them have a charge of magnitude $e$ only.

$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ So, judging by "both of them", your "a couple" is actually a special case, a pair? (According to Merriam-Webster, "a couple" means "two or a few", not "exactly two".) $\endgroup$
    – Ruslan
    Commented Jul 19, 2020 at 19:31
  • $\begingroup$ there are four magnitudes: 1, 2/3, 1/2, and 0. $\endgroup$
    – JEB
    Commented Jul 19, 2020 at 19:54
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @Ruslan "a couple" can be used informally to mean a few, but in principle "couple" should imply exactly two. $\endgroup$
    – Tyberius
    Commented Jul 20, 2020 at 0:51
3
$\begingroup$

No, at least in the standard model the highest charge of any elementary particle is $\pm e$. You can of course find composite particles with higher net charge.

$\endgroup$
2
$\begingroup$

The $\Delta^{++}$ baryon, which is a member of the isospin $\frac 3 2 $ delta-quadruplet.

$\endgroup$
0

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.