In both semileptonic decays, an active quark emits a virtual W boson, which produces an Electron and an electron antineutrino:The unchanged spectator quarks combine with the produced into the final proton. The relevant Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix elements are and .
Neutron and Lambda semileptonic decay diagrams and their Cabibbo factors
. Details. Use the quoted masses in energy units, equivalently natural units , and define the energy releases before subtracting the electron rest energy asThe prescribed density of states ansatz uses precisely these differences to the fifth power. A Cabibbo-angle extraction from semileptonic decay rates also needs a common reduced hadronic strength. In that approximation the partial decay rates, measured in , areThe supplied mean lifetimes describe all decays, so multiply their inverses by the relevant branching fractions:Taking their ratio cancels and givesChoose the conventional first-quadrant Cabibbo angle:The Lambda baryon partial rate is much larger despite its smaller weak flavour coupling because the fifth-power phase space factor is enormous.
There is an assumption beyond the stated density of states ansatz: the neutron and Lambda reduced hadronic strengths have been set equal. If their ratio is , the same data instead imply . Without specifying , the angle is not uniquely determined. Unequal hadronic form factors, finite electron mass and recoil make the displayed common-strength result an exercise-level estimate, rather than a precision measurement.
