The electron, proton, and neutron are subatomic particles with different masses and charges. While the charges of these particles have the same magnitude (in units of elementary charge), their masses differ significantly.
The electron has a negative charge of -1 elementary charge, while the proton has a positive charge of +1 elementary charge. The neutron, on the other hand, has no net electric charge and is considered electrically neutral.
The mass difference between these particles can be attributed to their underlying nature and the way they interact with the Higgs field. According to the Standard Model of particle physics, the electron is classified as a lepton, whereas the proton and neutron are classified as hadrons.
The masses of particles, including electrons and quarks (which make up protons and neutrons), arise from their interactions with the Higgs field. The Higgs field is responsible for giving particles their mass through a process known as the Higgs mechanism.
In the case of the electron, it has a relatively low mass compared to protons and neutrons because its interaction with the Higgs field is weaker. This weak interaction results in the electron having less mass.
On the other hand, protons and neutrons are composed of quarks, specifically up and down quarks. These quarks have stronger interactions with the Higgs field, leading to a greater contribution to their overall mass.
It's important to note that the masses of protons and neutrons are not solely determined by the masses of their constituent quarks. The majority of their masses actually come from the strong nuclear force, which binds quarks together within the particles and gives rise to the strong nuclear interaction.
In summary, the difference in mass between electrons, protons, and neutrons can be attributed to the underlying interactions with the Higgs field and the properties of the particles themselves. While the charges of these particles have the same magnitude, their masses differ due to the nature of their interactions with the Higgs field and the contributions from other fundamental forces.