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The Standard Model of Particle Physics: A Triumph of Science

Quanta Magazine
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The Standard Model of particle physics is the most successful scientific theory of all time. It describes how everything in the universe is made of 12 different types of matter particles, interacting with three forces, all bound together by a rather special particle called the Higgs boson. It’s the pinnacle of 400 years of science and gives the correct answer to hundreds of thousands of experiments. In this explainer, Cambridge University physicist David Tong recreates the model, piece by piece, to provide some intuition for how the fundamental building blocks of our universe fit together. At the end of the video, he also points out what’s missing from the model and what work is left to do in order to complete the Theory of Everything. **Correction: At 13'50", the photon should be included with the three fundamental forces. The animation here is incorrect, while the narration is correct. 00:00 The long search for a Theory of Everything 00:33  …...more
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The long search for a Theory of Everything

0:00

The Standard Model

0:33

Gravity: the mysterious force

1:43

Quantum Field Theory and wave-particle duality

2:29

Fermions and Bosons

3:05

Electrons and quarks, protons and neutrons

4:00

Neutrinos

4:45

Muons and Taus

5:22

Strange and Bottom Quarks, Charm and Top Quarks

5:59

Electron Neutrinos, Muon Neutrinos, and Tao Neutrinos

6:13

How do we detect the elusive particles?

6:26

Why do particles come in sets of four?

6:49

The Dirac Equation describes all of the particles

7:17

The three fundamental forces

7:49

Bosons

8:13

Electromagnetism and photons

8:32

The Strong Force, gluons and flux tubes

9:17

The Weak Force, Radioactive Beta Decay, W and Z bosons

10:38

The Higgs boson and the Higgs field

12:04

Beyond the Standard Model: a Grand Unified Theory

13:20

How does gravity fit in the picture?

14:12

Where is the missing dark matter and dark energy?

14:41

Unsolved mysteries of the Standard Model

15:03
The Standard Model of Particle Physics: A Triumph of Science
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3,304,401Views
2021Jul 16
The Standard Model of particle physics is the most successful scientific theory of all time. It describes how everything in the universe is made of 12 different types of matter particles, interacting with three forces, all bound together by a rather special particle called the Higgs boson. It’s the pinnacle of 400 years of science and gives the correct answer to hundreds of thousands of experiments. In this explainer, Cambridge University physicist David Tong recreates the model, piece by piece, to provide some intuition for how the fundamental building blocks of our universe fit together. At the end of the video, he also points out what’s missing from the model and what work is left to do in order to complete the Theory of Everything. **Correction: At 13'50", the photon should be included with the three fundamental forces. The animation here is incorrect, while the narration is correct. 00:00 The long search for a Theory of Everything 00:33 The Standard Model 01:43 Gravity: the mysterious force 02:29 Quantum Field Theory and wave-particle duality 03:05 Fermions and Bosons 04:00 Electrons and quarks, protons and neutrons 04:45 Neutrinos 05:22 Muons and Taus 05:59 Strange and Bottom Quarks, Charm and Top Quarks 06:13 Electron Neutrinos, Muon Neutrinos, and Tao Neutrinos 06:26 How do we detect the elusive particles? 06:49 Why do particles come in sets of four? 07:17 The Dirac Equation describes all of the particles 07:49 The three fundamental forces 08:13 Bosons 08:32 Electromagnetism and photons 09:17 The Strong Force, gluons and flux tubes 10:38 The Weak Force, Radioactive Beta Decay, W and Z bosons 12:04 The Higgs boson and the Higgs field 13:20 Beyond the Standard Model: a Grand Unified Theory 14:12 How does gravity fit in the picture? 14:41 Where is the missing dark matter and dark energy? 15:03 Unsolved mysteries of the Standard Model Quanta Magazine is an editorially independent publication supported by the Simons Foundation https://www.simonsfoundation.org/.

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Quanta Magazine

1.08M subscribers