Positron decay

Hi can someone please explain how mass/energy is conserved in the positron decay of a proton to a neutron?


1.672 621 71 x 10-27 kg proton

=decays to=

1.674 927 28 x 10-27 kg neutron
+
9.109 3826 x 10-31 kg positron
+
neutrino (insignificant mass)

A lil maths shows the 2nd half of the decay to have apprx. 3.2165082x10^-30 more kgs(ie more energy).

How does this work? I think im missing something...

Looking at it in the context of fusion of 2 protium atoms (basic hydrogen) to form deuterium.

The extra mass must come from the energy added in the equation.

en.wikipedia.org... (2nd equation if I have read that correct)

hmm thanx, i thort it might be something like that, and i mustve rushed past that page onwiki coz i did luk thru most of it...

You may want to look at this from the point of view of quantum loop gravity.

Look it up sometime.

nutshell it describes a decay as being an unraveling of space, i.e a braid that once was twisted 3 times now only has two twists.

As for the equation you are working on, you must balance both sides of the equation or it would violate the 2nd law of thermo dynamics...

However, looking further into the numbers and you may discover that for equations such as positron decay, the additional energy is rather conveniently added by us to balance the equation. To make it neat and fit to the most common current understanding of reality.

Have a look at this Quantum Loop Gravity -

Truth is stranger than fiction

All the best,

NeoN HaZe.