Exploring Fundamental Particles

The search for the elementary constituents of the physical universe and the interactions between them has transformed over time and continues to evolve today, as we seek answers to questions about the existence of stars, galaxies, and humankind. Integrating both theoretical and experimental work, Exploring Fundamental Particles traces the development of this fascinating field, from the discoveries of Newton, Fermi, and Feynman to the detection of CP violation and neutrinos to the quest to observe the Higgs boson and beyond. An Accessible yet In-Depth Account of How Fundamental Particles Shape Our World The book first examines the experiments and theoretical ideas that gave rise to the standard model. It discusses special relativity, angular momentum, spin, the Dirac electron, quantum field theory, Feynman diagrams, Pauli�s neutrino, Fermi�s weak interaction, Yukawa�s pion, the muon neutrino, quarks, leptons, and flavor symmetry. The authors then explain the violation of the symmetry between matter and antimatter, known as CP violation. They cover the discoveries of CP violation in the decays of kaons and B mesons as well as future experiments that could detect possible CP violation beyond the standard model. In the next part, the authors present experimental results involving the once-mysterious neutrino. They explore the evidence that neutrinos have mass, new neutrino experiments in various countries, and the potential of neutrino astronomy to offer a new perspective on stars and galaxies. The final section focuses on the one undetected particle of the standard model: the Higgs boson. The authors review the experiments that established important constraints on the mass of the Higgs particle. They also highlight recent experiments of the Tevatron particle accelerator at Fermilab, along with the near future impact of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and th

The search for the elementary constituents of the physical universe and the interactions between them has transformed over time and continues to evolve today, as we seek answers to questions about the existence of stars, galaxies, and humankind. Integrating both theoretical and experimental work, Exploring Fundamental Particles traces the development of this fascinating field, from the discoveries of Newton, Fermi, and Feynman to the detection of CP violation and neutrinos to the quest to observe the Higgs boson and beyond. An Accessible yet In-Depth Account of How Fundamental Particles Shape Our World The book first examines the experiments and theoretical ideas that gave rise to the standard model. It discusses special relativity, angular momentum, spin, the Dirac electron, quantum field theory, Feynman diagrams, Pauli’s neutrino, Fermi’s weak interaction, Yukawa’s pion, the muon neutrino, quarks, leptons, and flavor symmetry. The authors then explain the violation of the symmetry between matter and antimatter, known as CP violation. They cover the discoveries of CP violation in the decays of kaons and B mesons as well as future experiments that could detect possible CP violation beyond the standard model. In the next part, the authors present experimental results involving the once-mysterious neutrino. They explore the evidence that neutrinos have mass, new neutrino experiments in various countries, and the potential of neutrino astronomy to offer a new perspective on stars and galaxies. The final section focuses on the one undetected particle of the standard model: the Higgs boson. The authors review the experiments that established important constraints on the mass of the Higgs particle. They also highlight recent experiments of the Tevatron particle accelerator at Fermilab, along with the near future impact of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and the longer term impact of the International Linear Collider (ILC). The Foundation for New Discoveries A clear picture of the historic breakthroughs and latest findings in the particle physics community, this book guides you through the theories and experiments surrounding fundamental particles and the main forces between them. It sets the stage for the next transformation in modern science.

In Quest of the Quark reinforces atomic theory for high school students, and links it with Elementary Particle Physics in a structured way that encourages literacy without heavy mathematics, by interrelating the particles which make up sub-atomic particles. At the beginning of the universe matter/energy were one, and then in the first few micro-seconds of time, they split apart or separated, a process called symmetry splitting in Particle Physics, or more commonly The Big Bang. The particles of matter, called fermions, are the bricks of the universe, and the bosons which transmit the forces of energy, the mortar which binds them together. This fundamental view of our time-continuum is quite elegant in its organization, and startling in its beauty, as the worlds within worlds of fundamental particles are explored.

In Quest of the Quark reinforces atomic theory for high school students, and links it with Elementary Particle Physics in a structured way that encourages literacy without "heavy" mathematics, by interrelating the particles which make up sub-atomic particles. At the beginning of the universe matter/energy were one, and then in the first few micro-seconds of time, they split apart or separated, a process called "symmetry splitting" in Particle Physics, or more commonly "The Big Bang." The particles of matter, called fermions, are the "bricks" of the universe, and the bosons which transmit the forces of energy, the "mortar" which binds them together. This fundamental view of our time-continuum is quite elegant in its organization, and startling in its beauty, as the worlds within worlds of fundamental particles are explored.

Part of the Physics in a New Era series of assessments of the various branches of the field, Elementary-Particle Physics reviews progress in the field over the past 10 years and recommends actions needed to address the key questions that remain unanswered. It explains in simple terms the present picture of how matter is constructed. As physicists have probed ever deeper into the structure of matter, they have begun to explore one of the most fundamental questions that one can ask about the universe: What gives matter its mass? A new international accelerator to be built at the European laboratory CERN will begin to explore some of the mechanisms proposed to give matter its heft. The committee recommends full U.S. participation in this project as well as various other experiments and studies to be carried out now and in the longer term.