Gauge Theory and Higgs Mechanism
What is Gauge Theory and how does it relate to electroweak symmetry? How does the breaking of a symmetry cause a reaction such as the obtaining of mass?
Asked Markus
In particle physics, the Higgs mechanism is a kind of mass generation mechanism, a process that gives mass to elementary particles.
Please read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgs_mechanism
Gauge theory is the successful field theory explaining the dynamics of elementary particles.
Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauge_theory
You can explore the hyperlinks provided for more information.

Categories: Ask Physics, Higg's Boson Tags: Electroweak interaction, Elementary particle, Higgs boson, Higgs mechanism, mass, Particle physics, physics, Standard Model
Physics Numerical Problem
A small mass of 10 KG is suspended from a spring balance. It is Pulled by Horizontal Spring so it makes 60º with the vertical. Find the new reading of the spring balance.
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Physics Numerical Problems posted by Nabeela
The following questions were posted by Nabeela. We are just posting the question as such so that the visitors can post the answers.
- A mass-less string pulls a mass of 20kg upward against gravity. The string would break if subjected to a tension greater than 400N. What is the maximum acceleration with which the mass can be moved upward?
- A bullet of mass 20g is fired from a gun of mass 10kg with a velocity of 180m/s. Find the velocity of recoil of the gun. Find the force required to stop the gun before it moves 20cm
A body of mass 40kg is moving up an inclined plane with a uniform velocity when a force of 460N is applied. If the plane is inclined to the horizontal by an angle of 45o,calculate the coefficient of kinetic friction between the surfaces.- If the coefficient of friction between the tyres of a truck and the road is k, show that the maximum stopping distance of the truck when moving with a velocity ‘v’ is v2/2 kg. Assume that the brakes are not applied
- A ball of mass 0.5kg moving with a speed of 20m/s collides with an identical ball at rest. After collision the direction of each ball makes an angle of 30o with the original direction. Find the speed of each ball after collision.
- What is the maximum horizontal distance that a ball thrown with a speed of 60 m/s can go without hitting the roof of a long hall 30m high?
- A ball is thrown horizontally strikes a wall 5m away. The height of the point struck by the ball is 1m lower than the height which it was thrown from. (1) With what velocity was it thrown (2) At what angle did the ball reach the wall?
- The time of flight of aprojectile is 10 seconds . its range on a horizontal plane is 100m . Calculate the angle of projection and the velocity of projection.
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Categories: Ask Physics, CBSE PHYSICS CLASS XI, Interesting Questions, KINEMATICS, Mechanics, Numerical Problems Tags: Business, earth, friction, gravitation, Iapetus, mass, Southeastern Louisiana University, velocity
Higgs Boson and related doubts
According to wikipedia, the higgs boson particle has a mass of approximately 126.5GeV/c^2.
1. First of all, i’m not sure why they use a unit of energy for the mass. I know of energy mass equivalence, but doesn’t something with a lot of energy have the potential to be converted into mass but it isn’t mass yet?
2. Also, i’m not sure how the higgs boson can have a mass at all if it is the particle that gives things mass. Do all higgs boson particles then have to come in pairs so that they can interact with each other? Can a higgs particle exist on its own?
3. Also, when the higgs particles interact (either with objects or with themselves if they can), what is transferred between them? For example, a photon is exchanged between two electrons when they interact. So what is exchanged between a higgs boson and an object? Is it strings like in string theory?
Thank ou in advance for any replies.
Categories: Ask Physics, Interesting Questions Tags: boson, God Particle, higgs, mass, physics