Can Symmetry Breaking on a Banquet Table Explain Bose States in Lasers?

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In summary, Michio Kaku's Hyperspace discusses how Abdus Salam's illustration of symmetry breaking using a banquet table demonstrates how left-right symmetry breaks when one diner picks a glass on the right or left. This concept can also be applied to the idea of a balloon with stars painted on it being blown up to represent the expanding universe, where it becomes meaningless to ask what happens when the balloon bursts. This idea also relates to Bosons and how they tend to go into the same states, such as in a laser, when there are only two possibilities allowed.
  • #1
touqra
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I read some paragraphs from Michio Kaku's Hyperspace about Abdus Salam's illustration of symmetry breaking using a banquet table. Left-right symmetry breaks when one diner picks a glass on the right or left.
What if two diners simultaneously picks up a glass. One diner picks up a glass to his right while the other picks up a glass to her left. In the end, surely, someone will have no glass to drink from. Right?
 
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  • #2
When you have an analogy or illustration, you have to be careful not to push it too far. The thing it illustrates is robust, but the illustration has traded robustness for clarity. A similar case is the idea of a balloon with stars painted on it being blown up to illustrate the expanding universe. It's meaningless to ask "What happens when the balloon bursts?"
 
  • #3
I has to do with Bosons tending to go to the same state, so if a situation allows the formation of new Bose states, they will all tend to be identical, as in a Laser. If there are only two possiblities allowed, then they will all be in one of the two states.
 

1. What is Abdus Salam's illustration?

Abdus Salam's illustration is a diagram that he created to visualize the unified theory of weak and electromagnetic interactions, also known as the electroweak theory. It depicts the relationship between the two forces and their unification at high energies.

2. What is the significance of Abdus Salam's illustration?

Abdus Salam's illustration is significant because it provided a visual representation of the electroweak theory, which was a major breakthrough in particle physics. It helped scientists understand the connection between the weak and electromagnetic forces and paved the way for further research and discoveries.

3. How did Abdus Salam's illustration contribute to the development of the Standard Model of particle physics?

Abdus Salam's illustration played a crucial role in the development of the Standard Model of particle physics. It demonstrated the unification of two of the four fundamental forces and provided evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson. The Standard Model is now the most widely accepted theory for understanding the fundamental particles and forces in the universe.

4. Can you explain the components of Abdus Salam's illustration?

Abdus Salam's illustration consists of two main components: the weak force and the electromagnetic force. The weak force is represented by a wavy line, and the electromagnetic force is represented by a straight line. At high energies, the two forces merge and become one, as shown in the illustration.

5. How has Abdus Salam's illustration impacted modern physics?

Abdus Salam's illustration has had a significant impact on modern physics. It provided a framework for understanding the fundamental forces of the universe and helped pave the way for the development of the Standard Model. It also opened up new avenues for research and experimentation in particle physics, leading to further discoveries and advancements in the field.

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