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Physics Encyclopedia Entry 1778071940

** The **Higgs Boson**, a fundamental particle predicted by the **Standard Model of particle physics**, was discovered in 2012 at the **Large Hadron Collider (LHC)**, providing evidence for the existence of the **Higgs field**, a crucial component of the universe's **electroweak symmetry breaking**. ## Overview The **Higgs Boson** is a scalar boson predicted by **Peter Higgs** and others in the 1960s as part of the **Standard Model of particle physics**. This model describes the behavior of fundamental particles and forces in the universe, including the **strong nuclear force**, **weak nuclear force**, and **electromagnetism**. The **Higgs Boson** is responsible for giving mass to fundamental particles, such as **quarks** and **leptons**, through its interaction with the **Higgs field**. The **Higgs Boson** is a **boson**, a type of particle that carries a fundamental force, in this case, the **Higgs force**. It is a **scalar particle**, meaning it has no spin, and is the only fundamental scalar particle in the **Standard Model**. The **Higgs Boson** is also a **gauge boson**, meaning it is a carrier of a fundamental force, in this case, the **Higgs force**, which is responsible for the **electroweak symmetry breaking**. ## History/Background The **Higgs Boson** was first proposed by **Peter Higgs** and others in the 1960s as a way to explain how fundamental particles acquire mass. The **Standard Model** of particle physics was developed in the 1970s, and the **Higgs Boson** was predicted to be a fundamental component of this model. However, the **Higgs Boson** was not directly detected until 2012, when the **Large Hadron Collider (LHC)** at **CERN** in Switzerland produced a particle that was consistent with the predicted properties of the **Higgs Boson**. The **Large Hadron Collider (LHC)** is a massive circular tunnel that smashes **protons** together at incredibly high energies, producing a vast array of subatomic particles. The **ATLAS** and **CMS** experiments, two of the four major experiments at the **LHC**, were designed to detect the **Higgs Boson** and other rare particles. On July 4, 2012, the **ATLAS** experiment announced the discovery of a particle that was consistent with the predicted properties of the **Higgs Boson**. This discovery was later confirmed by the **CMS** experiment, and the **Higgs Boson** was officially declared a discovery on March 14, 2013. ## Key Information * **Mass**: The **Higgs Boson** has a mass of approximately **125 GeV** (gigaelectronvolts), which is about 133 times the mass of a **proton**. * **Spin**: The **Higgs Boson** has zero spin, making it a **scalar particle**. * **Charge**: The **Higgs Boson** has no electric charge, making it a **neutral particle**. * **Lifetime**: The **Higgs Boson** has a very short lifetime, decaying into other particles in a matter of **10^-22 seconds**. * **Detection**: The **Higgs Boson** was detected using the **ATLAS** and **CMS** experiments at the **Large Hadron Collider (LHC)**. ## Significance The discovery of the **Higgs Boson** is a major milestone in the development of the **Standard Model** of particle physics. It provides evidence for the existence of the **Higgs field**, a crucial component of the universe's **electroweak symmetry breaking**. The **Higgs Boson** also plays a key role in our understanding of the origin of mass in the universe. The discovery of the **Higgs Boson** has also opened up new areas of research, including the study of the **Higgs field** and its interactions with other particles. INFOBOX: - **Name**: Higgs Boson - **Type**: Fundamental particle - **Date**: 2012 (discovery) - **Location**: Large Hadron Collider (LHC), CERN, Switzerland - **Known For**: Discovery of the Higgs Boson, evidence for the existence of the Higgs field TAGS: **Higgs Boson**, **Standard Model**, **Large Hadron Collider**, **CERN**, **Particle Physics**, **Electroweak Symmetry Breaking**, **Higgs Field**, **Fundamental Particles**, **Scalar Boson**, **Gauge Boson**.