I've been taking a look at simple Lie algebras for particle physics and I've found myself wondering about the following question. It can be shown that the adjacent roots in a root diagram corresponding to a simple Lie algebra must always lie at either 0 ,30, 45, 60 or 90 degrees (if the rank $\geq2$). In all cases but the 90 degree case (forgetting the trivial 0 degree case), the relative lengths of the roots are uniquely determined given the angle between them. But it turns out that in the 90 degree case there are no constraints whatsoever on their relative lengths. So my first question is: are there infinitely many Lie algebras corresponding to the 90 degree case, one for every possible ratio in the lengths of the roots? Or is there only one algebra, which just doesn't care about the relative lengths of its roots?


Any help would be greatly appreciated! (Ps I am an extremely mediocre graduate physicist, so please go easy on me!)



A question on the root systems of simple Lie algebras in the 90 degree case
If you look only at a *simple* Lie algebra, no two "adjacent" simple roots in the Dynkin diagram can form a right angle: being joined by at least one edge forces a different angle. In the simple case there is no ambiguity about relative lengths of roots, but of course in a direct sum of simple Lie algebras the different simple ideals involved are not directly related. 


By the way, the nontrivial angles between adjacent simple roots are actually *obtuse* rather than acute angles. 


