Introduction to Elementary Particles (Theory)

Formula sheet for the exam

Relation between energy and rest mass E = mc2

Definition of four-momentum pµ = (E/c, px , py , pz )

2
Four-momentum squared (pµ ) = E 2 /c2 − |~p |2
p
Mass-shell condition E/c = m2 c2 + p~2

−1/2
Total energy E = 1 − v 2 /c2 mc2 = Erest + Ekin

−1/2
Linear momentum p~ = 1 − v 2 /c2 m~v

Table 1. Mathematical relations from Special Relativity.

Lepton Mass m Q (units of |e|) Le Lµ Lτ

electron e− 0.51 MeV −1 +1 0 0

First family
electron neutrino νe ≤ 2 eV 0 +1 0 0

muon µ− 106 MeV −1 0 +1 0

Second family
muon neutrino νµ ≤ 2 eV 0 0 +1 0

tau τ − 1.77 GeV −1 0 0 +1

Third family
tau neutrino ντ ≤ 2 eV 0 0 0 +1

Table 2. For each lepton, we indicate the family it belongs, its mass, its electric charge in units of |e|, and the values
of the individual leptonic numbers Le , Lµ , Lτ .
 Flavour Mass m Q (units of |e|) B S C b

up ∼ 5 MeV +2/3 +1/3 0 0 0

First family
down ∼ 10 MeV −1/3 +1/3 0 0 0

charm ∼ 1.3 GeV +2/3 +1/3 0 +1 0

Second family
strange 100 MeV −1/3 +1/3 −1 0 0

top 175 GeV +2/3 +1/3 0 0 0

Third family
bottom 4.5 GeV −1/3 +1/3 0 0 −1

Table 3. For each quark, we indicate the family it belongs, its mass, its electric charge in units of |e|, and the values
of its baryonic number B, strangeness S, charmness C, and bottomness b.

ud¯


π+

π− (dū)

(uū) or dd¯


π0
Light mesons
K− (ūs)

K0 (ds̄)
0
sd¯


K

D0 (cū)
heavy mesons


B0 db̄

p (uud)

n (udd)

Light baryons Λ0 (uds)

Σ0 (uds)

∆0 (udd)

Σ+
c (udc)

Heavy baryons Λ0b (udb)

Σ+
b (uub)

Table 4. Quark content of selected hadrons.

 Symbol Mass (MeV) B S C b

π+ 139.6 0 0 0 0

π0 135.0 0 0 0 0

K+ 493.7 0 +1 0 0

K0 497.7 0 +1 0 0

D+ 1869.4 0 0 +1 0

D0 1864.5 0 0 +1 0

Ds+ 1968 0 +1 +1 0

B+ 5279 0 0 0 +1

B0 5279 0 0 0 +1

Table 5. Properties of selected hadrons. In each case we indicate the symbol, its mass in MeV, and the values of
the baryonic number B, strangeness S, charmness C and bottomness b.

The speed of light in vacuum c = 2.99792458 × 108 m/s

Electron mass me = 9.11 × 10−31 kg = 0.511 MeV

Electron charge Qe = 1.6 × 10−19 C

Proton mass mp = 1.67 × 10−27 kg = 938.27 MeV

Coulomb’s constant k = 9 × 109 Nm2 C−2

Newton’s gravitational constant G = 6.673 × 10−11 Nm2 kg−2

Planck’s constant h = 6.626 × 10−34 m2 kg/s = 4.136 × 10−15 eV

Table 6. List of relevant natural constants.

 From Joules to eV 1 J = 6.242 × 1018 eV

From MeV to Joules 1 MeV = 1.609 × 10−13 J

From the atomic mass unit u to kg 1 u = 1.661 × 10−27 kg

From kilograms to GeV (in natural units) 1 GeV = 1.783 × 10−27 kg

From MeV to kilograms (in natural units) 1 MeV = 1.79 × 10−30 kg

From GeV to m−1 (in natural units) 1 GeV = 5.1 × 1015 m−1

Table 7. List of useful conversion factors.

 
Lc3
Probability of neutrino oscillations P (L) = sin2 (2θ) sin2 4~E ∆m
2

Higgs potential V (φ) = −µφ2 + λφ4

Number of events in LHC collisions N = L × σ × BR

Statistical uncertainty δstat σ/σ = N −1/2

√
Signal significance NS / NB

Table 8. Miscellaneous formulae.