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 experi ...

, the term dressed particle refers to a

bare particle In theoretical physics, a bare particle is an excitation of an elementary quantum field. Such a particle is not identical to the particles observed in experiments: the real particles are dressed particle In theoretical physics, the term dressed ...

together with some excitations of other quantum fields that are physically inseparable from the bare particle. For example, a dressed

electron The electron (, or in nuclear reactions) 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 partic ...

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 particle, massless ...

s surrounding the original electron. A further noteworthy example is represented by polaritons 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 that neutralizes its electric charge. Dressed particles are also often called clothed particles.

References

Theoretical physics Quantum field theory {{theoretical-physics-stub

See also

References