Higgs bosom is this where energy becomes mass?

In summary, the Higgs boson, which is the quantum of the Higgs field, has no mass until it interacts with the Higgs field, where it then acquires mass due to the symmetry breaking of the field. This same mechanism also gives mass to other elementary particles.
  • #1
Charles Brown
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The Higgs bosons has no mass before it travels through the Higgs field. So is this the point where energy becomes mass?
 
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  • #2
This - the OP's subject title - has the potential to be the greatest typo ever, even exceeding "space mites" for "space time".

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bosom

edit: Better hope there isn't a lady named Higgs at CERN or she might be giving you a good kicking :-)
 
  • #3
rorix: thanks for pointing out that typo...I must be waaay too focused on physics since I never even noticed it!

Charles:
I don't think that's quite the idea...My understanding is that the higgs boson mass arises as a result of symmetry breaking...simultaneously with the field...I believe fermions theoretically acquire mass as you describe.

In the standard model, at temperatures high enough so that electroweak symmetry is unbroken, all elementary particles are massless. At a critical temperature, the symmetry is spontaneously broken, and the W and Z bosons acquire masses...Fermions, such as the leptons and quarks in the Standard Model, can also acquire mass as a result of their interaction with the Higgs field, but not in the same way as the gauge bosons...after symmetry breaking, these three of the four degrees of freedom in the Higgs field mix with the W and Z bosons, while the one remaining degree of freedom becomes the Higgs boson – a new scalar particle
QUOTE]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgs_mechanism


Note that the above description may neither refute your explanation nor validate my own.
 
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  • #4
Charles Brown said:
The Higgs bosons has no mass before it travels through the Higgs field. So is this the point where energy becomes mass?

The Higgs boson is the same thing as the higgs field. Your question makes no sense at all.
 
  • #5
Here is a simple one line answer:

The Higgs boson particle is the quantum of the theoretical Higgs field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgs_boson

If your question is "Why does the boson exhibit mass" a brief answer is
"In empty space, the Higgs field has an amplitude different from zero; i.e. a non-zero vacuum expectation value. The existence of this non-zero vacuum expectation plays a fundamental role; it gives mass to every elementary particle that couples to the Higgs field, including the Higgs boson itself..." same link
 
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Related to Higgs bosom is this where energy becomes mass?

1. What is the Higgs boson and why is it important in understanding the concept of mass?

The Higgs boson is a subatomic particle that was theorized in the 1960s by physicist Peter Higgs. It is an important part of the Standard Model of particle physics and is responsible for giving other particles their mass through interactions with the Higgs field. Without the Higgs boson, particles would not have mass and the universe would be very different.

2. How was the Higgs boson discovered?

The Higgs boson was discovered in 2012 by scientists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland. The LHC is the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator, and it allowed scientists to produce and observe the Higgs boson for the first time. The discovery was a major scientific breakthrough and confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson.

3. How does the Higgs boson turn energy into mass?

The Higgs boson is associated with the Higgs field, which is an invisible field that permeates all of space. When particles interact with this field, they gain mass. The Higgs boson acts as a carrier of this interaction, giving mass to the particles that pass through it. This process is known as the Higgs mechanism and explains how energy can be converted into mass.

4. Can the Higgs boson be used to create energy?

No, the Higgs boson is not a source of energy. It is a subatomic particle that is responsible for giving other particles their mass. While the concept of mass and energy are closely related, the Higgs boson does not have the ability to create energy on its own.

5. What are the potential implications of the discovery of the Higgs boson?

The discovery of the Higgs boson has confirmed the Standard Model of particle physics and has opened up new possibilities for further research and understanding of the universe. It has also helped scientists to better understand the fundamental nature of mass and the forces that govern the behavior of particles. In the future, this knowledge could lead to advancements in technology and our understanding of the origins of the universe.

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