dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaP-Violation Manifested at the Molecular Level - A Simple Means for an Absolute Definition of "Left" vs. "Right"
| Authors | Avshalom C. Elizur, Meir Shinitzky |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0601010 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0601010 |
Abstract
P-violation of the nuclear weak force was hitherto believed to manifest itself only in asymmetric $\beta$-emission due to neutron decay. Molecules with space asymmetry (like L and D amino acids) are affected by this parity violation, yielding a parity violation energy difference (PVED) between chiral isomers in the order of $10^{-16}$ ev. In specific cases, where an autocatalytic process is combined with interaction with a selective spin isomer of H$_2$O, this tiny PVED can be amplified to a macroscopic detectable level. We describe such a system through which one can transmit a universal definition of "left" and "right." The procedure is straightforward, yielding an absolute rather than a statistical definition. The argument is illustrated by paraphrasing Feynman's celebrated thought-experiment of communicating spatial directions to an alien.
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"abstract": "P-violation of the nuclear weak force was hitherto believed to manifest\nitself only in asymmetric $\\beta$-emission due to neutron decay. Molecules with\nspace asymmetry (like L and D amino acids) are affected by this parity\nviolation, yielding a parity violation energy difference (PVED) between chiral\nisomers in the order of $10^{-16}$ ev. In specific cases, where an\nautocatalytic process is combined with interaction with a selective spin isomer\nof H$_2$O, this tiny PVED can be amplified to a macroscopic detectable level.\nWe describe such a system through which one can transmit a universal definition\nof \"left\" and \"right.\" The procedure is straightforward, yielding an absolute\nrather than a statistical definition. The argument is illustrated by\nparaphrasing Feynman\u0027s celebrated thought-experiment of communicating spatial\ndirections to an alien.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0601010",
"authors": [
"Avshalom C. Elizur",
"Meir Shinitzky"
],
"categories": [
"physics.chem-ph",
"physics.atom-ph"
],
"title": "P-Violation Manifested at the Molecular Level - A Simple Means for an Absolute Definition of \"Left\" vs. \"Right\"",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0601010"
},
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