Why is the Higgs not considered 'a 5th force'?

In summary, the standard model in basic physics books used to be split into 'matter' (fermions) and 'force carriers' (bosons), with 4 fundamental forces: gravity, weak, strong, and electromagnetic. The Higgs boson, however, is not considered a force carrier and there is debate over whether it should be considered a '5th force' or part of the electroweak force. There is also discussion about potentially adding a new split to the standard model to accommodate the Higgs, though this may already be accounted for in the current model.
  • #1
Gerinski
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In basic physics books the standard model used to be split in 'matter' (fermions) and 'force carriers' (bosons), and there are 4 fundamental forces, gravity, weak, strong and electromagnetic.
If the Higgs is a boson, why is it not considered as a force carrier and the Higgs be considered a '5th force'?
Should the standard model get a new 3rd split to accommodate the Higgs and if so what should it be called besides 'matter' and 'force carriers'? (perhaps it is already so, excuse my ignorance).
Thanks
 
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  • #2
Gerinski said:
If the Higgs is a boson, why is it not considered as a force carrier and the Higgs be considered a '5th force'?

It could be. It could also be considered part of the electroweak force. You're getting caught up in the terminology, when the science is described by the equations.
 
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  • #3
It can act like a force carrier - although it is not a gauge boson.
Some people count the electroweak interaction as just one, some add the Higgs as 5th or 4th... it doesn't really matter.
 

1. Why is the Higgs not considered "a 5th force"?

The Higgs boson, also known as the "God particle," is not considered a 5th force because it does not fit the criteria for a fundamental force. In physics, there are four known fundamental forces: gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force. The Higgs boson does not fit into any of these categories and therefore cannot be considered a 5th force.

2. How does the Higgs boson differ from a 5th force?

The Higgs boson differs from a 5th force in several ways. Firstly, the four fundamental forces are carried by force-carrying particles, such as gravitons for gravity and photons for electromagnetism. The Higgs boson, on the other hand, is a scalar particle that does not carry a force. Additionally, the four fundamental forces have specific ranges and strengths, while the effects of the Higgs boson are felt throughout the universe.

3. Can the Higgs boson be considered a force carrier?

No, the Higgs boson cannot be considered a force carrier. As mentioned before, force-carrying particles are responsible for transmitting the four fundamental forces. The Higgs boson, however, is not associated with any specific force and does not transmit any forces.

4. Why is the Higgs boson important if it is not a 5th force?

The Higgs boson is important because it is responsible for giving particles their mass. It interacts with other particles to give them their mass, which in turn allows for the formation of atoms, molecules, and eventually, everything in the universe. Without the Higgs boson, particles would be massless and the universe would look very different.

5. Is there any evidence for the existence of a 5th force?

Currently, there is no solid evidence for the existence of a 5th force. Many scientists have proposed theories and conducted experiments to try and find evidence of a 5th force, but so far, none have been confirmed. The Standard Model of particle physics, which has been extensively tested and confirmed, does not include a 5th force. Until there is concrete evidence, the Higgs boson will remain an important but separate concept from the four fundamental forces.

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