Is all matter ultimately made out of photons (electromagnetic radiation)? No. Photons have no electrical charge, so you can't make a charged particle out of them. They also have integer spin, so you can't make half-integer spin particles (like electrons) out of them. We could go on about QCD (color) charge, etc., but this should suffice.
But do (low energy) particle and anti-particle annihilation interactions of all the Elementary Particles result ultimately in the production of photons? And if so, does this mean that all matter is ultimately made up of photons? If not, what happens ultimately with such particle/anti-particle annihilations of Elementary Particles such as quarks, gluons, etc? They cannot create any other particle pairs as they themselves are Elementary Particles. Thanks! Although a good fraction of these annihilations end up with two or more photons, there are other states that can exist as well, electron or neutrino pairs for example. The only requirement is that the net quantum numbers and other conserved quantities be the same: charge, net linear and angular moment, lepton and baryon number, etc. The extra energy can go to the kinetic energy of the released pions, be radiated as gamma rays, or into the creation of additional quark-antiquark pairs. When the annihilating proton and antiproton are at rest relative to one another, these newly created pairs may be composed of up, down or strange quarks. The other flavors of quarks are too massive to be created in this reaction, unless the incident antiproton has kinetic energy far exceeding its rest mass, i.e. is moving close to the speed of light. The newly created quarks and antiquarks pair into mesons, producing additional pions and kaons. Reactions in which proton-antiproton annihilation produces as many as nine mesons have been observed, while production of thirteen mesons is theoretically possible. The generated mesons leave the site of the annihilation at moderate fractions of the speed of light, and decay with whatever lifetime is appropriate for their type of meson." See also: It seems that even quarks can annihilate into particles such as pions which then decay into photons. K Rajaram IRS 26725 On Sat, 26 Jul 2025 at 05:32, Markendeya Yeddanapudi < [email protected]> wrote: > > > -- > *Mar*A Few Queries > > > > 1) Does every atom continuously radiate photons? > > 2) From where do the Gamma Rays,X Rays, Ultraviolet Rays, The VIBGYOR > Range Photons, and the Radio Waves originate? > > 3) When every atom radiates photons continuously, then how is it that > there is no enormous heat generation? Does nature possess the automatic > Thermostat Properties? > > 4) Is there Thermostat control in every life Form? > > YM Sarma > > Answers from Chat GPT > > > > Great questions, YM Sarma! Let's address them one by one, with clear and > concise explanations. > ------------------------------ > > *1) Does every atom continuously radiate photons?* > > *Not always.* > > Atoms *only radiate photons* when their electrons *transition from a > higher to a lower energy level* (i.e., de-excitation). These transitions > don't happen continuously unless the atom is being *excited > continuously*—e.g., > by heat, collisions, or radiation. > > - In a stable ground state (lowest energy), *an atom does not emit > photons*. > - However, in thermal environments (like stars), many atoms are *frequently > excited and de-excited*, emitting photons often. > > *Also:* > > - Accelerating charges (like electrons in motion) can emit > electromagnetic radiation. > - In solids, especially at higher temperatures, atoms vibrate and > these vibrations lead to *thermal radiation* (blackbody radiation), > which is a collective rather than individual atomic effect. > > ------------------------------ > > *2) From where do Gamma Rays, X-Rays, Ultraviolet, Visible Light > (VIBGYOR), and Radio Waves originate?* > > They all originate from *different physical processes* depending on > energy levels: > > *Radiation Type* > > *Origin* > > *Gamma Rays* > > Nuclear reactions, radioactive decay (e.g., gamma decay), particle > collisions (e.g., in stars or particle accelerators). > > *X-Rays* > > Electron transitions in heavy atoms, or high-energy electron deceleration > (Bremsstrahlung). Also emitted in X-ray tubes and cosmic phenomena. > > *Ultraviolet (UV)* > > Electron transitions in atoms and molecules (higher energy than visible > light). Found in the Sun’s radiation. > > *Visible Light (VIBGYOR)* > > Electron transitions in atoms/molecules (moderate energy levels). Most > common from heated objects, stars, and electronic devices. > > *Infrared (IR)* > > Molecular vibrations and low-energy electronic transitions, often emitted > by warm objects (including human bodies). > > *Microwaves & Radio Waves* > > Oscillating electric currents in antennas, electronic circuits, and > sometimes from astronomical phenomena (like pulsars). > ------------------------------ > > *3) If atoms radiate photons, why don't we see enormous heat generation? > Does nature have automatic thermostat properties?* > > Excellent question! > > *Yes, nature does have self-regulating processes*, but let’s clarify: > > - *Atoms radiate energy only when excited.* > - *At equilibrium*, they absorb as much as they emit — this is *thermal > equilibrium*, a key concept in thermodynamics. > - In *non-equilibrium conditions*, things heat up or cool down until > balance is restored. > > Think of it like this: > > - The *heat we feel* depends on the *net radiation*, not just > emission. If something emits a lot of photons but also absorbs many, the > net energy transfer may be zero. > > This *dynamic balance* is indeed *a kind of thermostat-like behavior* > built into physical laws—*feedback mechanisms* regulate temperature in > systems like: > > - Earth's climate (to some extent), > - Human body (homeostasis), > - Stars (hydrostatic equilibrium). > > ------------------------------ > > *4) Is there thermostat control in every life form?* > > *Yes — to varying degrees.* > > This is called *homeostasis*, the ability of living organisms to regulate > internal conditions (like temperature, pH, water levels): > > - *Humans and mammals*: Have *complex thermostat systems* > (hypothalamus in the brain regulates body temperature). > - *Reptiles, fish, insects*: Often rely more on *external environment* > (ectothermic), but still maintain certain internal balance. > - *Plants and microbes*: Use *biochemical pathways* to regulate their > internal states despite environmental changes. > > So yes, *thermostatic control is a fundamental aspect of life*, enabling > organisms to survive in changing conditions. > ------------------------------ > > *Summary* > > 1. *Atoms don't radiate photons continuously* unless excited. > 2. *Different EM waves originate from different > physical/molecular/nuclear events.* > 3. *Nature balances energy* via thermodynamic laws — acting like a *natural > thermostat*. > 4. *Life forms have varying levels of internal control*, known as > *homeostasis* — a kind of biological thermostat. > > Would you like diagrams or analogies to visualize any of these better? > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Thatha_Patty" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCKRbs2MBQSLVh_i0hXB%3D8agb1A7pThDWQH8GhaMz1jLVw%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCKRbs2MBQSLVh_i0hXB%3D8agb1A7pThDWQH8GhaMz1jLVw%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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