Electroweak theory unifies electromagnetic and weak forces from "summary" of The Quantum Theory of Fields by Steven Weinberg,Weinberg S
The unification of the electromagnetic and weak forces into a single electroweak theory is a major achievement of modern theoretical physics. Before this unification, the electromagnetic and weak forces were thought to be distinct phenomena, described by different theories and operating at different energy scales. The discovery that these two forces could be described by a single mathematical framework was a significant breakthrough in the quest for a unified theory of the fundamental forces of nature. The electromagnetic force is well understood and described by quantum electrodynamics, while the weak force is responsible for processes such as beta decay and is described by a separate theory known as the Glashow-Weinberg-Salam model. The unification of these two forces into the electroweak theory was made possible by the work of Sheldon Glashow, Abdus Salam, and Steven Weinberg in the 1960s. The key insight that led to the development of the electroweak theory was the realization that the weak force could be understood as a manifestation of a more fundamental symmetry breaking mechanism. This mechanism involves the Higgs field, which is responsible for giving mass to the W and Z bosons that mediate the weak force. The electromagnetic force arises as a combination of the weak force and the electromagnetic force in the electroweak theory. The electroweak theory predicts the existence of a new particle known as the Higgs boson, which was discovered at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012. The successful experimental verification of the electroweak theory provided further evidence for the unification of the electromagnetic and weak forces. This unification is a crucial step towards a more complete understanding of the fundamental forces of nature and has profound implications for our understanding of the universe at the most fundamental level.
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