Higgs Mechanism #3

by Cern/science Photo Library

Title

Higgs Mechanism #3

Artist

Cern/science Photo Library

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Photograph - Photograph

Description

Higgs mechanism. Number 5 in a series of 5 cartoons explaining how the Higgs field confers mass on particles. Physicists in a room represent space filled with only the Higgs field. When a famous scientist enters the room he attracts a cluster of admirers. The cluster around him increases his resistance to movement, in other words he has acquired mass. This is the same as a particle moving through the Higgs field and creating a local distortion, which confers mass on the particle. If a rumour enters the room, it causes clusters (yellow) in the scientists. These clusters also have mass, as it was the cluster of physicists that gave the famous scientist mass. A Higgs boson particle is this cluster, or local distortion, in the Higgs field. The discovery of a particle consistent with the Higgs boson was announced by scientists at CERN (the European particle physics laboratory) on the 4th July 2012. Further analysis will be needed to confirm the results.

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February 23rd, 2021

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