Exploring the Higgs Boson: Force or Vacuum Energy?

In summary, the Higgs Boson is part of the Higgs Field, which generates the vacuum energy providing mass to elementary particles and causes a symmetry break that separates the three forces. It does not represent a force of its own, but rather mediates the "mass force" with every mass particle. The Higgs Field has a fixed value of 246 GeV, but fluctuations in this value may create a force that acts upon all particles equally. The Standard Model is an effective theory and not yet a fundamental one, but it is able to predict results that are accessible in our labs.
  • #1
CJames
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I have a question regarding the Higgs Boson/Field/Mechanism. My understanding of QFT is very rudimentary, but as I understand it the Higgs Boson is the quantum of the Higgs Field, which generates the vacuum energy providing the mass of the elementary particles. It assigns mass to bosons causing a symmetry break that separates the three forces: the electromagnetic force, the strong and weak nuclear forces. Those are represented by the photon, the gluon, and the W and Z weak bosons respectively.

My question is whether the Higgs Boson represents a force of its own, as the other bosons do. More specifically, the Higgs field of 246 GeV is supposed to permeate all of space. Is it always equal to this value, or might fluctuations in this value create a force? If so, does this force act upon all particles equally, or is their any equivalent to charge, color, or flavour?
 
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  • #2
Without symmetry breaking all the particles don not posses mass in the S.M. theory because the symmetry in the multiplet is perfect only if we think that they have the same mass or zero.
The breaking is a consequence of specific choice of the vacuum state |0>.
As in weinberg-salam model breaking SU(2)xU(1) gives you the correct mass bosons which we expermentally observe (z,w+,w-). Everything comes out from the broken charge Q. You have as many bosons (Goldstone modes) fields as many charge you break.
In the SM you have SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1)... if you break it you have 8+3+1 bosons it is the dimension of the algebra...

What i think is that, yes you can think the higgs as a particle which madiate the "mass force" with every mass particle (the quantum charge in this case is the mass itself)... but what we don't have to forget, using the renormalization scheme, is:

The SM is only a (beautifull) but effective theory.. if you see how it growed you can check that the physicist had so many datas from the experiment that started to work with Group theories and a lot of fantasy to make the data fits.
This is correct, we need a theory that can predict something accesible to our labs... But the SM is not yet a fundamental One.

hope that helped.

regards marco
 
  • #3


The Higgs Boson is not considered to be a force in the traditional sense, but rather a manifestation of the Higgs field. The Higgs field is a fundamental field that permeates all of space and interacts with particles to give them mass. It is not a force in the same way that the electromagnetic, strong, and weak forces are, but it is responsible for the mass-giving mechanism that allows these forces to act on particles.

In terms of fluctuations in the Higgs field, it is possible that these fluctuations could create a force, but it is not currently understood how this would manifest or how it would interact with particles. The Higgs field is thought to have a constant value throughout space, but there could be small variations or fluctuations in this value that could potentially have an impact on particle interactions. However, more research is needed in this area to fully understand the role of the Higgs field and its fluctuations.

In terms of how the Higgs field interacts with particles, it is not based on any equivalent to charge, color, or flavor. The Higgs field interacts with all particles equally, but the strength of this interaction is dependent on the mass of the particle. Heavier particles will have a stronger interaction with the Higgs field and therefore have a larger mass.

Overall, the Higgs Boson and the Higgs field are an important part of the Standard Model of particle physics and play a crucial role in our understanding of the universe. However, there is still much to be discovered and understood about this field and its interactions with particles.
 

FAQ: Exploring the Higgs Boson: Force or Vacuum Energy?

What is the Higgs Boson?

The Higgs Boson is a subatomic particle that was proposed by physicist Peter Higgs in the 1960s to explain how other particles acquire mass.

What is the significance of the Higgs Boson?

The discovery of the Higgs Boson in 2012 confirmed the existence of the Higgs field, which is essential to our current understanding of how particles acquire mass. It also helped to complete the Standard Model of particle physics.

Is the Higgs Boson a force or a form of vacuum energy?

The Higgs Boson is not a force itself, but it is associated with the Higgs field, which is thought to give particles mass through interactions with the Higgs Boson. Some theories also suggest that the Higgs field may be related to vacuum energy, but this is still being researched.

How was the Higgs Boson discovered?

The Higgs Boson was discovered using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Scientists used this powerful particle accelerator to collide protons at high energies and observe the resulting particle interactions, including the creation of the Higgs Boson.

What are the potential implications of exploring the Higgs Boson?

Studying the Higgs Boson and the Higgs field can help us better understand the fundamental building blocks of the universe and the forces that govern them. It may also lead to new technologies and advancements in our understanding of the universe and its origins.

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