Understanding the Higgs Mechanism: W & Z Boson Mass & Particle Mass

[kashiark]

I need help understanding the Higgs mechanism: what is the Higgs condensate, what is the Higgs boson, why do only the W and Z bosons have mass, and how exactly do particles receive mass? thanks guys!

 

[malawi_glenn]

http://www.fys.uio.no/forskning/drgrad/forskerskoler/irtg/Eigen/SM-3.pdf

http://indico.cern.ch/materialDisplay.py?materialId=slides&confId=34702

http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/0705/0705.4264v1.pdf

use google, and then ask more specific questions.

 

[sir-pinski]

The Higgs mechanism is a fundamental concept in particle physics that explains how particles acquire mass. It is based on the idea of a field, called the Higgs field, that permeates all of space. This field is responsible for giving particles their mass through a process called spontaneous symmetry breaking.

The Higgs boson is the particle associated with the Higgs field. It was first theorized in the 1960s and was finally discovered in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider.

The Higgs condensate refers to the state of the Higgs field when it is in its lowest energy state. This condensate is what gives rise to the Higgs boson and the mass of particles.

So why do only the W and Z bosons have mass? This is because these particles interact with the Higgs field more strongly than other particles. The Higgs field interacts with all particles, but the strength of this interaction varies. The W and Z bosons interact more strongly because they are part of the electroweak force, which is responsible for the weak nuclear force. The other particles, such as quarks and electrons, have weaker interactions with the Higgs field and therefore receive less mass.

So how exactly do particles receive mass? As mentioned earlier, the Higgs field is responsible for giving particles their mass. The Higgs boson is like a ripple in this field, and when particles interact with it, they gain mass. This is similar to how a surfer gains energy and momentum when riding a wave. The more strongly a particle interacts with the Higgs field, the more mass it will gain.

In summary, the Higgs mechanism is a crucial concept in understanding the fundamental properties of particles and the universe. It explains how particles acquire mass through the interaction with the Higgs field and the Higgs boson. Only certain particles, such as the W and Z bosons, have mass because they interact more strongly with the Higgs field. This mechanism is essential in our understanding of the Standard Model of particle physics and has been confirmed through numerous experiments.