My understanding of the classifications those crazy International groups have for a planet is as such:
- Roughly Spherical Under it's own Gravitational Energy (i.e. Enough mass that the smallest energy state is spheroid)
- Orbits the Sun (Pluto Does this, but fails otherwise)
- And relatively larger than any other object in it's orbit. It's moon is about a third of the size of pluto, which is quite large. It also isn't even the largest object way out there in space. Some Kuiper belt objects, more dirty overground ice balls like Pluto, are larger.
Personally, I am happy with it being a Planetoid (I believe is it's new definition. I don't follow this branch of astronomy too much). I've always thought it was silly for and object tha was so clearly related to the Kuiper belt in my opinion, to be considered a planet. But it is tradition, and therefore hard to break.
Help me Help you with Space
#18
Posted 02 June 2008 - 11:49 AM
Sorry for not replying sooner, I was being a bit lazy over the weekend.
As for your question, that's a particle physics question, but I can tell you what I do know for now, and try and research more thoroughly when I have time to give you a better answer.
Quarks ARE the particles which create such things as Protons and Neutrons as we know it. They also are usually defined as Up of Down, and a particular combination will create either Protons, neutrons, or what have you. I believe this is just in reference to the spin degrees of freedom (a measure of internal angular momentum is the best semi classical way to describe it) that make the wave function that describes them. So just think of it as a few quarks get together because it's energetically favorable, and form bigger sub atomic particles.
As for your question, that's a particle physics question, but I can tell you what I do know for now, and try and research more thoroughly when I have time to give you a better answer.
Quarks ARE the particles which create such things as Protons and Neutrons as we know it. They also are usually defined as Up of Down, and a particular combination will create either Protons, neutrons, or what have you. I believe this is just in reference to the spin degrees of freedom (a measure of internal angular momentum is the best semi classical way to describe it) that make the wave function that describes them. So just think of it as a few quarks get together because it's energetically favorable, and form bigger sub atomic particles.
#: ssh God@Heaven.org
Password: CurvedSpace
/God> rm *
The BEST error message ever: "Cowardly refusing to create an empty archive."
Password: CurvedSpace
/God> rm *
The BEST error message ever: "Cowardly refusing to create an empty archive."