Why do we need the Higgs field to provide an explanation for mass?

11 Aug 2015

You might have heard that the Higgs field is what gives particles their masses. But how does this process happen? And why do we need it? Brian Greene explains more.

Transcript

0:01

as physicists tried to explain the

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masses of particles they found that if

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they just try to inject the mass into

0:12

the mathematical equations in the most

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straightforward way just put a parameter

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for the mass of a particle right into

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the math the math didn't work it gave

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rise to Quantum mechanically

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inconsistent features so it was

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recognized that you needed to have a

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more subtle way of intr producing Mass

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into the equations that would not spoil

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the fundamental symmetries but yet would

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allow the particles to have different

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masses you see fundamentally the idea is

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that all particles begin life as being

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massless there's a high degree of

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symmetry associated with that all the

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particles have the same mass zero how do

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you inject

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Mass without spoiling that symmetry

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which is vital for the equations to make

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sense the hfield does that by immersing

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everything in this bath this

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molasses-like bath it turns out that the

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equations allow you to have your cake

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and eat it the fundamental symmetries

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are deeply preserved and yet the way in

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which the particles move experiencing

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different resistance like drag force

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allows them to have different masses

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