Lecture 8 | New Revolutions in Particle Physics: Standard Model

(March 30, 2009) Leonard Susskind explains the Higgs phenomena by discussing how spontaneous symmetry breaking induces a mass for the photon.

This course is a continuation of the Fall quarter on particle physics. The material will focus on the Standard Model of particle physics, especially quantum chromodynamics (the theory of quarks) and the electroweak theory based on the existence of the Higgs boson. We will also explore the inadequacies of the Standard Model and why theorists are led to go beyond it.

This course was originally presented in Stanford's Continuing Studies program.

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Category:

Education

Tags:

• classical quantum physics
• science
• biology
• engineering
• thermodynamics
• math
• formula
• higgs field phenomena
• photon
• mass
• boson
• superconductivity
• electromagnetic wave
• frequency
• prism
• particle
• space
• velocity of light
• dispersion relation
• comple

[grunder20]

i agree with the comment below.

[felpaluche]

Only physicists could relate.

[wizardofmadness]

1:09:11 - The left nipple is missing

[yellowhue30]

The structure of the universe seems more like a Bucky ball to me than a super string.

[dekekyo]

fantastic.

[coastwalker]

Just one thing bothers me. If symmetries indicate conserved things in physical reality then what conserved quantity does alpha represent in the real world? I know it does not have energy because it is the Goldstone Boson. So its something outside space-time, or at least doesn't seem to manifest itself as a variable quantity in space-time now. Having said that I recall lots of talk in Big Bang theory about symmetry breaking, so maybe I should be looking there.

[coastwalker]

Amused by students forgetting what complex numbers are used for. Handling two potentially independent things simultaneously by a mathematical convention was my understanding. Cant follow the details of Lagrangian math yet myself but fascinating explanation of the Higgs potential energy. Fascinating course, thanks for posting. Will be going through the whole lot again when I get to the end.