What exactly is the Higgs boson and how does it work?

1. 89

   suzettenaplesposted 11 years ago

   What exactly is the Higgs boson and how does it work?
   
   Yesterday, in Geneva, Switzerand, at a CERN conference, a world-wide physicists organization announced the discovery of the Higgs boson.  Can someone explain what this is in layman terms and why it is so significant to the world of physics?

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2. 59

   WD Curry 111posted 11 years ago

   
   
   In man's never ending quest to find out what's going on around here, they have Identified a tiny, subatomic particle . . . or so it seems by the evidence. They are looking for the theoretical "mono-pole", or "God particle" . . . the fabric of the universe . . . the source of energy that caused the "Big Bang".
   
   "Big Bang" is scientific lingo for the day that the Lord spoke, "Let there be light."

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3. 59

   LaThingposted 11 years ago

   Here is an article that will help you understand:
   
   http://lorddecross.hubpages.com/hub/Tha … s-Particle
   
   Hope you enjoy it!

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4. 85

   Rui Carreiraposted 11 years ago

   They discovered the Higgs so that means it actually exists. They captured some particles... There are a lot of sensationalism around it but basically it can explain about the volume of stuff... there were some doubts about how mass was explained and Higgs will shine some light on it.
   
   What do we take from that discovery?
   
   THIS: Scientists discovered the particle, but they will study it UNTILL THE END OF 2012 to disclose what it means... so this answer will have a "best answer" then.... now its pure speculation
   
   I hope I helped

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5. 61

   sacramentobizposted 11 years ago

   
   
   I found this explanation on Tech Crunch this morning. It explains the Higgs Bison in simple terms.

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6. 89

   suzettenaplesposted 11 years ago

   Thanks to all of you that have answered this for me.  Each one of you gave me very pertinent information and I can't thank you enough.  I finally understand what this is all about and why it has been called the "God-particle."  I can't select a best answer - sorry - because they are all excellent in my eyes.  Thank you!!!

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7. 60

   Emrys Mythranderposted 11 years ago

   as everyone say's "it gives mass to things", but that is pretty vague, so let me explain it this way, there are 2 key things to remember here, the "Higgs field" and the "Higgs particle". it would be easiest to explain the Higgs field first. Think of it like air. when you are at "rest" you don't notice it much. but the faster you go threw it (or it goes around you), the more "resistance" you "feel". well that that is how the "higgs field" interacts with matter. the more "resistance" the matter "feels" the more mass it has. Now for the "higgs particle". Now we know that "air" is actually made of of trillions upon trillions of tiny "molecules" and it is the interaction (squeezing, moving, etc) of those molecules against what ever is moving threw them that offers the resistance. It is basically the same thing with the "Higgs particle", however.... to my understanding, the concept is almost exactly reverse, instead of pushing away, as it would be in wind resistance, it is actually attraction, as in how much of the higgs field the matter attracts, the more it attract the more mass it has, but the wind resistance reference helps ppl understand how it works.

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