How does the Higgs field differentiate between particles giving specific masses

In summary: The mass generation is due to a) the vacuum value of the Higgs field and b) a specific coupling of the particles with this field; whereas a) is universal, b) is constructed such that each known fermions gets its specific mass via its specific Yukawa coupling between the fermion (electron, myon, tyu, quarks flavor) and the Higgs field.
  • #1
Phyzwizz
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I was wondering how (or if it is known) the Higgs assigns different masses to different particles. We know that mass comes from the resistance that the Higgs field provides to particles but why are some particles such as photons able to move through without a hint of resistance, whereas particles such as the top quark go through the field like it. Is it just the simple fact that top quarks are larger than photons and have a higher probability of colliding with the Higgs bosons that make up the Higgs field or is it something more deep and more exact than this?
 
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  • #2
The "resistance" is a nice picture but partially misleading; e.g. there is no deceleration of particles due to the Higgs field.

The mass generation is due to a) the vacuum value of the Higgs field and b) a specific coupling of the particles with this field; whereas a) is universal, b) is constructed such that each known fermions gets its specific mass via its specific Yukawa coupling between the fermion (electron, myon, tyu, quarks flavor) and the Higgs field.

Refer to the last formula in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroweak_interaction where f is the index for different fermions species.
 
  • #3
tom.stoer said:
The "resistance" is a nice picture but partially misleading; e.g. there is no deceleration of particles due to the Higgs field.

The mass generation is due to a) the vacuum value of the Higgs field and b) a specific coupling of the particles with this field; whereas a) is universal, b) is constructed such that each known fermions gets its specific mass via its specific Yukawa coupling between the fermion (electron, myon, tyu, quarks flavor) and the Higgs field.

Refer to the last formula in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroweak_interaction where f is the index for different fermions species.

This will no doubt have been asked before as it seems like an obvious question to me, but you know how you say each particle gets a specific mass due to having a specific coupling - hasn't the problem just been deferred from wondering how a particle gets its mass to wondering how it gets its coupling?

I mean, are the values of the coupling constants (and hence each particle's mass) theoretically predictable, or are they just put in "by hand" in the same way that particles previously "just had" a certain mass?
 
  • #4
Doofy said:
... hasn't the problem just been deferred from wondering how a particle gets its mass to wondering how it gets its coupling?
Yes.

Doofy said:
I mean, are the values of the coupling constants ... theoretically predictable ...
No.

Doofy said:
... or are they just put in "by hand" in the same way that particles previously "just had" a certain mass?
Yes and no; due to the chiral structure of the weak gauge theory the usual Dirac masses are not appropriate; therefore one needs a new mechanism for fermion mass generation
 
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  • #5
tom.stoer said:
Yes and no; due to the chiral structure of the weak gauge theory the usual Dirac masses are not appropriate; therefore one needs a new mechanism for fermion mass generation

Hi,

I had the exact same question as the OP. Thanks for the clear response. Can you please explain the quoted part a little further. I want to know if the higgs mechanism can generate masses of fundamental particles from first principles
 
  • #6
Phyzwizz said:
I was wondering how (or if it is known) the Higgs assigns different masses to different particles. We know that mass comes from the resistance that the Higgs field provides to particles but why are some particles such as photons able to move through without a hint of resistance, whereas particles such as the top quark go through the field like it. Is it just the simple fact that top quarks are larger than photons and have a higher probability of colliding with the Higgs bosons that make up the Higgs field or is it something more deep and more exact than this?

The honest answer, if I may, is that nobody knows why the Standard Model couplings have the value they do ...
As far as I understand, they are just measured experimentally, with no (or little) theoretical motivation for their specific values.
The hope is that there is some underlying theory that will explain the value of all the couplings.
This is, after all, one of the main motivations for looking beyond the Standard Model ...
 
  • #7
so typically the ground state of a particular field will be operated on by creation operator to generate a particle. well, the higgs field is operated on to create he higgs boson, but are there mass creation operators, or is it only the yakawa coupling that determines the mass?

what i would like to see is some way of quantizing the lagrangian density given by general relativity to give us some kind of coupling to the higgs lagrangian density, without having to deal with the coupling at all.

I found this from 1991: Higgs Field and a New Scalar-Tensor Theory
of Gravity nternational journal of theoretical physics [0020-7748] Dehnen, H yr:1992 vol:31 iss:1 pg:109
 
  • #8
dipstik said:
so typically the ground state of a particular field will be operated on by creation operator to generate a particle. well, the higgs field is operated on to create he higgs boson, but are there mass creation operators, or is it only the yakawa coupling that determines the mass?
I don't know what "mass creation operators" should be; but yes, it's only "vev * Yukawa coupling"

dipstik said:
what i would like to see is some way of quantizing the lagrangian density ...
It's standard

dipstik said:
... given by general relativity to give us some kind of coupling to the higgs lagrangian density,
Quantizing the SM Lagrangian on a curved background geometry is difficult and will not give us any new insights.
Quantizing GR is the quantum gravity problem which is beyond the scope of the SM and all these discussions regarding the Higgs.
 

What is the Higgs field and how does it differentiate between particles?

The Higgs field is a fundamental field that is present throughout the universe. It is responsible for giving particles their mass through a process called the Higgs mechanism. This mechanism involves particles interacting with the Higgs field, which slows them down and gives them mass.

How does the Higgs field differentiate between particles of different masses?

The Higgs field differentiates between particles by interacting with them in different ways. Particles with larger masses interact more strongly with the Higgs field, while particles with smaller masses interact less strongly. This results in particles having different masses based on their interactions with the Higgs field.

Why is the concept of the Higgs field important in understanding particle masses?

The Higgs field is important because it provides a mechanism for particles to acquire mass. Without the Higgs field, particles would not have mass and the universe would be very different. Understanding the role of the Higgs field is crucial in our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the universe.

How does the Higgs field interact with the Higgs boson?

The Higgs boson is a particle that is associated with the Higgs field. When the Higgs field is excited, it creates Higgs bosons, which can then decay into other particles. The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 confirmed the existence of the Higgs field and its role in giving particles mass.

Can the Higgs field explain all of the masses of particles?

No, the Higgs field can only explain the masses of some particles. There are other fundamental forces and fields that also play a role in giving particles their masses. The Higgs field is just one piece of the puzzle in our understanding of particle masses.

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