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    This document discusses the search for the Higgs boson particle at the Large Hadron Collider. It describes how the Higgs boson is formed by colliding two very high energy protons, which will only result in a Higgs particle in 1 in 1010 collisions. It then explains how detecting the Higgs boson involves building sophisticated detectors to observe the particles it decays into after 10-22 seconds. The document also uses analogies to describe how the Higgs field is thought to give mass to other particles and how the clustering of physicists spreading a rumor is similar to the formation of the Higgs boson.

    Original Description:

    Sobre el bosón de Higgs

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    This document discusses the search for the Higgs boson particle at the Large Hadron Collider. It describes how the Higgs boson is formed by colliding two very high energy protons, which will only result in a Higgs particle in 1 in 1010 collisions. It then explains how detecting the Higgs boson involves building sophisticated detectors to observe the particles it decays into after 10-22 seconds. The document also uses analogies to describe how the Higgs field is thought to give mass to other particles and how the clustering of physicists spreading a rumor is similar to the formation of the Higgs boson.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
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    16 views36 pages

    Dunbar Science Festival

    Uploaded by

    corder1015
    This document discusses the search for the Higgs boson particle at the Large Hadron Collider. It describes how the Higgs boson is formed by colliding two very high energy protons, which will only result in a Higgs particle in 1 in 1010 collisions. It then explains how detecting the Higgs boson involves building sophisticated detectors to observe the particles it decays into after 10-22 seconds. The document also uses analogies to describe how the Higgs field is thought to give mass to other particles and how the clustering of physicists spreading a rumor is similar to the formation of the Higgs boson.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 36

    Searching for that God(-Damn)

    Particle:

    the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider


    Dr Victoria Martin
    University of Edinburgh

    http://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/higgs
    http://www.atlas.ch/
    1

    Force Carriers
    3

    H
    Higgs Boson
    5

    Force Carriers

    H
    Higgs Boson
    5

    A Higgs Boson Recipe

    A Higgs Boson Recipe


    1. Take two very high energy protons (fresh from
    CERN).

    A Higgs Boson Recipe


    1. Take two very high energy protons (fresh from
    CERN).
    2. Smash together.

    A Higgs Boson Recipe


    1. Take two very high energy protons (fresh from
    CERN).
    2. Smash together.
    3. One in 1010 collisions will form a Higgs particle.

    A Higgs Boson Recipe


    1. Take two very high energy protons (fresh from
    CERN).
    2. Smash together.
    3. One in 1010 collisions will form a Higgs particle.
    4. Once formed, the Higgs particle will decay
    after 1022 seconds.

    A Higgs Boson Recipe


    1. Take two very high energy protons (fresh from
    CERN).
    2. Smash together.
    3. One in 1010 collisions will form a Higgs particle.
    4. Once formed, the Higgs particle will decay
    after 1022 seconds.
    5. Assemble a highly sophisticated, state-of-theart detector around the collision point.

    A Higgs Boson Recipe


    1. Take two very high energy protons (fresh from
    CERN).
    2. Smash together.
    3. One in 1010 collisions will form a Higgs particle.
    4. Once formed, the Higgs particle will decay
    after 1022 seconds.
    5. Assemble a highly sophisticated, state-of-theart detector around the collision point.
    6. Observe the particles produced from the Higgs
    boson decay.

    A Higgs Boson Recipe


    1. Take two very high energy protons (fresh from
    CERN).
    2. Smash together.
    3. One in 1010 collisions will form a Higgs particle.
    4. Once formed, the Higgs particle will decay
    after 1022 seconds.
    5. Assemble a highly sophisticated, state-of-theart detector around the collision point.
    6. Observe the particles produced from the Higgs
    boson decay.
    7. Repeat 25 million times a second for ~1.5
    years.

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    https://twiki.cern.ch/twiki/pub/AtlasPublic/
    HiggsPublicResults//Hgg-FixedScale-Short2.gif

    https://twiki.cern.ch/twiki/pub/AtlasPublic/
    HiggsPublicResults//4l-FixedScale-NoMuProf2.gif

    15

    16

    The Higgs Mechanism


    1. Physicists at a conference
    reception; all free to move around
    the room.

    17

    The Higgs Mechanism


    1. Physicists at a conference
    reception; all free to move around
    the room.

    17

    The Higgs Mechanism


    1. Physicists at a conference
    reception; all free to move around
    the room.

    2. In comes a noble prize winner;


    everyone wants to speak to him.
    The physicists crowd around him.
    The noble laureate is not free to
    move around; he has gained inertia
    by interacting with the crowd.

    17

    The Higgs Mechanism


    1. Physicists at a conference
    reception; all free to move around
    the room.

    2. In comes a noble prize winner;


    everyone wants to speak to him.
    The physicists crowd around him.
    The noble laureate is not free to
    move around; he has gained inertia
    by interacting with the crowd.

    This is analogous to how the particles acquire mass: by interacting with


    the Higgs field. Laureates of different popularity gain different masses.
    17

    The Higgs Boson


    3. The next evening; physicists
    enjoying another drink.
    A rumour enters the room: the
    keynote speaker tomorrow will
    announce the discovery of a new
    particle!

    18

    The Higgs Boson


    3. The next evening; physicists
    enjoying another drink.
    A rumour enters the room: the
    keynote speaker tomorrow will
    announce the discovery of a new
    particle!

    18

    The Higgs Boson


    3. The next evening; physicists
    enjoying another drink.
    A rumour enters the room: the
    keynote speaker tomorrow will
    announce the discovery of a new
    particle!

    4. The physicists gather together


    to spread the rumour. The group of
    physicist acquire inertia.

    18

    The Higgs Boson


    3. The next evening; physicists
    enjoying another drink.
    A rumour enters the room: the
    keynote speaker tomorrow will
    announce the discovery of a new
    particle!

    4. The physicists gather together


    to spread the rumour. The group of
    physicist acquire inertia.

    The clustering of the field of physicists is as if a new massive particle has


    formed. This is the Higgs boson.
    18

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