In
theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experim ...
, the term dressed particle refers to a
bare particle together with some excitations of other
quantum field
In theoretical physics, quantum field theory (QFT) is a theoretical framework that combines classical field theory, special relativity, and quantum mechanics. QFT is used in particle physics to construct physical models of subatomic particles and ...
s that are physically inseparable from the bare particle. For example, a dressed
electron
The electron ( or ) is a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary electric charge. Electrons belong to the first generation of the lepton particle family,
and are generally thought to be elementary particles because they have no kn ...
includes the cloud of virtual electron–positron pairs and
photon
A photon () is an elementary particle that is a quantum of the electromagnetic field, including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force. Photons are massless, so they always ...
s surrounding the original electron.
A further noteworthy example is represented by
polaritons
In physics, polaritons are quasiparticles resulting from strong coupling of electromagnetic waves with an electric or magnetic dipole-carrying excitation. They are an expression of the common quantum phenomenon known as level repulsion, also ...
in solid-state physics, dressed quasiparticles of dipolar excitations in a medium with photons.
In
radiobiology
Radiobiology (also known as radiation biology, and uncommonly as actinobiology) is a field of clinical and basic medical sciences that involves the study of the action of ionizing radiation on living things, especially health effects of radiation. ...
, a dressed particle is a bare particle together with its
Debye sphere
In plasma (physics), plasmas and electrolytes, the Debye length \lambda_ (also called Debye radius), is a measure of a charge carrier's net electrostatic effect in a Solution (chemistry), solution and how far its electrostatic effect persists. Wi ...
that neutralizes its electric charge.
Dressed particles are also often called clothed particles.
See also
*
Constituent quark A constituent quark is a current quark with a notional "covering" induced by the renormalization group.
In the low-energy limit of QCD, a description by means of perturbation theory is not possible: Here, no asymptotic freedom exists, but collectiv ...
References
Theoretical physics
Quantum field theory
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