Unravelling the Mystery of Higgs boson and Light Particles

In summary: Basically, the Higgs field gives mass to particles, but it's not a part of the particles themselves. However, when light enters a medium (such as water), its speed is slowed down. This is because the light is interacting with the matter and scattering off of it.
  • #1
Swetha.M.L
11
1
from a malayalam language newspaper i read about Higgsboson that is according to standard model the Higgsboson is the piece of the atom that endows all the other piece with their mass. when electrons,quarks,etc are associated with higgs field they get mass. the light particle called photons have no mass bcoz it didnt associated with higgs field. so they move @Speed of light. but when light entered to a medium such as water its speed reduced to 3by4 th of speed at vacuum. why? is that due to the light particle associated with higgs field?
 
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  • #2
The Higgs boson is not a part of atoms.

The Higgs field (not the particle) is responsible for the mass of particles, but it is not a part of it.

Swetha.M.L said:
but when light entered to a medium such as water its speed reduced to 3by4 th of speed at vacuum. why? is that due to the light particle associated with higgs field?
This has nothing to do with the Higgs. The best explanations are formulas, but those need a lot of quantum mechanics to understand them. There are multiple simplified models to give some idea how it works, all of them are problematic in some way. The main idea is always the same: the electromagnetic waves interact with the material, which leads to a slower propagation.
 
  • #3
No, it's because the light effectively scatters off atoms in the material delaying its progress
 
  • #4
yup...
Photons when entering water, don't get slowed down. They are interacting with the matterial, scattering off it, such that the Electromagnetic wave's (light's) group velocity gets slowed down. The photons (massless) travel at c everywhere , and light travels at c in vacuum. So nothing to do with the Higgs field.

As for the mass-giving of Higgs, if you don't have the appropriate background it'd be fruitless to try and discuss this. The thing is that mathematics do give a result which cannot be translated in an exact analogy in english language (at least not without using technical terms). It's more like that you have a constant field everywhere which ends up interacting with all the known massive particles except for one in the case of the Weinberg-Salam-Glashow model, which we associate to the photon.
 

1. What is the Higgs boson and why is it important?

The Higgs boson is a subatomic particle that was first theorized in the 1960s by physicist Peter Higgs. It is important because it is believed to be responsible for giving other particles their mass, which is a fundamental property of matter. Its discovery in 2012 confirmed the existence of the Higgs field, which is an essential part of the Standard Model of particle physics.

2. How was the Higgs boson discovered?

The Higgs boson was discovered at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland. Scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) used the LHC to accelerate and collide protons at extremely high energies. The resulting data was analyzed to look for evidence of the Higgs boson's existence.

3. What are light particles and how do they relate to the Higgs boson?

Light particles, also known as photons, are the fundamental particles of light. They are massless and travel at the speed of light. The Higgs boson is thought to interact with photons and give them their mass. This interaction is what allows us to see light and experience it in our everyday lives.

4. What impact does the discovery of the Higgs boson and light particles have on our understanding of the universe?

The discovery of the Higgs boson and light particles has had a significant impact on our understanding of the universe. It has confirmed the existence of the Higgs field and provided evidence for the Standard Model of particle physics. It has also opened up new avenues for research and potential breakthroughs in our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the universe.

5. What are some potential applications of the Higgs boson and light particles?

The applications of the Higgs boson and light particles are still being explored, but some potential uses may include advancements in technology, such as more efficient energy production and storage. It may also lead to new medical treatments and a better understanding of the origins of the universe and its evolution. Additionally, further research on these particles could potentially help us understand and address some of the biggest mysteries of the universe, such as dark matter and dark energy.

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