Spontaneous symmetry breaking leads to particle mass from "summary" of The Quantum Theory of Fields by Steven Weinberg,Weinberg S
Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a concept that plays a crucial role in the understanding of particle mass within the framework of quantum field theory. Symmetry breaking occurs when the ground state of a system does not exhibit the same symmetries as the underlying laws of the system. This breaking of symmetry leads to the emergence of mass for certain particles.
In the context of the Higgs mechanism, spontaneous symmetry breaking is responsible for the generation of mass for elementary particles such as the W and Z bosons. The Higgs field, which permeates all of space, undergoes spontaneous symmetry breaking, leading to the acquisition of mass by these particles. This mechanism provides a compelling explanation for the origin of mass in the Standard Model of particle physics.
The Higgs field is characterized by a potential that possesses a Mexican hat shape, with the symmetry of the field being broken to a specific direction in the field space. As a result, the excitations of the field manifest as pa...
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