How can gauge symmetry be broken?

In summary, the conversation discusses the topic of gauge symmetry and its relation to the Higgs mechanism. The person is having trouble understanding how gauge symmetry gets broken in general and if choosing a gauge breaks the symmetry. Someone else points out that the choice of a ground state in the Higgs mechanism does not respect gauge symmetry.
  • #1
Joker93
504
36
Hello,
I was reading about the Higgs mechanism and I must say that I did not really follow the argument of how the gauge symmetry is broken.
I think that my problem has to do with the more general question of how does a gauge symmetry get broken in general?
Thanks!
 
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  • #2
Your question is very general. Is there something particular that you do not understand with spontaneous symmetry breaking?
 
  • #3
Orodruin said:
Your question is very general. Is there something particular that you do not understand with spontaneous symmetry breaking?
I think that I do not underatand how gauge symmetry can break in general.
If this is too general, let me ask you something else:
If we choose a gauge(gauge fixing), does this break gauge symmetry? Some things that I have read point out to this although it does not make much sense to me since gauge symmetry is gauge invariance(I choose a gauge and nothing changes).

EDIT: I have found an answer of yours in this post: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/why-must-the-higgs-gauge-symmetry-be-broken.846533/
and you stated that "This choice is not going to respect gauge symmetry and therefore the ground state is not gauge invariant." where the choice you referred to has to do with the choice of a ground state. What I don't understand is why doesn't the "new" ground state respect gauge symmetry.
 
Last edited:

What is gauge symmetry?

Gauge symmetry is a fundamental concept in physics that describes how the laws of nature remain unchanged under certain transformations. In other words, the physical quantities and equations that govern a system should remain the same even if we change the way we measure or observe them.

How can gauge symmetry be broken?

Gauge symmetry can be broken when the symmetry of a system is not preserved in its ground state. This can happen in systems where there is an underlying symmetry, but the ground state does not exhibit that symmetry. This is known as spontaneous symmetry breaking.

What is the role of the Higgs field in gauge symmetry breaking?

The Higgs field is a fundamental field in particle physics that is responsible for giving particles their mass. In the Standard Model of particle physics, the Higgs field is also responsible for breaking the gauge symmetry of the electroweak force, giving particles their different masses.

Why is gauge symmetry breaking important in particle physics?

Gauge symmetry breaking is an important concept in particle physics because it helps explain the origin of mass and the behavior of fundamental particles. It is also a key component in the Standard Model, which is our current best theory of the fundamental particles and forces that make up our universe.

Can gauge symmetry be restored?

In some cases, gauge symmetry can be restored. This can happen at extreme temperatures or energies, such as in the early universe or in particle accelerators. As the temperature or energy decreases, the symmetry may be broken again. This phenomenon is known as symmetry restoration.

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