Context:
Peter Higgs, after whom the particle Higgs Boson is named, passed away at the age of 94.
Background:
- The ‘God particle’ or Higgs boson is considered to be responsible for imparting mass to the fundamental particles.
- Predicted in the 1960s, the existence of the Higgs boson was confirmed in 2012 following extensive experiments conducted at the Large Hadron Collider.Higgs was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013, shared with François Englert, for their pioneering work on the Higgs mechanism.
- The Term ‘God Particle’ Coined by physicist Leon Lederman in the 1990s, the term ‘God Particle’ attracted both public interest and scientific criticism due to its religious connotations.
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
- It is the world’s most powerful particle accelerator, smashing subatomic particles together to study the universe’s fundamental building blocks.
- Built by CERN near Geneva, Switzerland, it’s a 27-kilometer particle accelerator deep underground where scientists can recreate conditions similar to the Big Bang.
Discovery of Higgs Boson:
- The Higgs boson, an elementary particle similar to electrons and quarks, was discovered through elaborate experiments at the LHC.
- The discovery of the Higgs boson completed what is known as the Standard Model of Particle Physics. This model describes all the fundamental particles, like electrons and protons, and the forces, like electromagnetism, gravitation, or nuclear forces, that build up the material world.
Higgs Boson and Mass:
- The Higgs boson is linked to the Higgs field, an invisible energy field throughout space.
- Particles travelling through this field interact with it, and this interaction is what gives them mass.
- Imagine wading through molasses – particles that interact more strongly with the field experience more resistance, effectively gaining more mass.
- Conversely, particles like photons, which don’t interact with the Higgs field, remain massless.
- Mass, previously thought to be intrinsic to matter, is now understood to arise from interaction with the Higgs field.
Features of Higgs Boson
- Mass: The Higgs boson itself has a mass of approximately 125 giga electron volts (GeV), making it relatively massive compared to other known elementary particles.
- Short Lifetime: It has a very short lifetime, decaying into other particles almost instantly after being produced in particle collisions.
- Spin-0 Particle: The Higgs boson is a spin-0 particle, meaning it has zero intrinsic angular momentum.
- Spin-0 Signature: The absence of spin makes the Higgs boson distinct from other particles in the Standard Model, like the photon or gluon, or fermions (spin-1/2) like quarks and electrons.
Significance and Legacy:
- The discovery of the Higgs boson revolutionized particle physics, providing insights into the fundamental nature of particles and mass.
- It represents a significant achievement in scientific inquiry and collaboration, showcasing the capabilities of the LHC.
Challenges and Controversies:
- Theoretical concepts like the Higgs field are complex and not intuitively understandable.
- Controversy surrounds the term ‘God Particle’ due to its religious implications and misinterpretations.
Conclusion
The Discovery of the Higgs boson has significant implications for our understanding of the universe. By clarifying the role of the Higgs boson and its interaction with the Higgs field, researchers have expanded the boundaries of particle physics, opening new avenues for exploration and discovery.