bosons
Integer-spin particles
Bosons are subatomic particles that carry forces between other particles.
Photons carry electromagnetic force, gluons carry the strong nuclear force, and the W and Z bosons carry the weak force.
The Higgs boson, discovered in 2012, gives other particles mass.
Unlike fermions (electrons, quarks), bosons can occupy the same quantum state—which is why laser light, made of photons, behaves so differently from ordinary matter.
Electromagnetic radiation unit
- gluonStrong force mediator
- gravitonHypothetical gravity-carrying particle
- mediatorNeutral conflict resolver
- carrierOne that transports
exchange · vector · interaction · weak force · electromagnetic · strong force · massless · virtual
Quantity of matter
- fieldArea of specialty
- mechanismMeans by which something operates
- scalarQuantity with magnitude only
- vacuumAbsence of matter
spontaneous · coupling · standard model · decay · elementary · fundamental
Gas turned to liquid
- statisticsCollected numerical information
- indistinguishableImpossible to tell apart
- wavefunctionQuantum state's mathematical representation
- symmetricEqual on both sides
occupation · laser · superfluid · superconductor · commutation
Accepted reference framework
- vertexPoint where edges converge
- symmetryInvariance under transformation
- propagatorOne who spreads further
- perturbationState of being unsettled
photon
Electromagnetic radiation unit
- gluonStrong force mediator
- gravitonHypothetical gravity-carrying particle
- mediatorNeutral conflict resolver
carrier · exchange · vector · interaction · weak force · electromagnetic · strong force · massless · virtual · propagator
mass
Quantity of matter
vacuum · spontaneous · coupling · standard model · decay · elementary · fundamental
condensate
Gas turned to liquid
- statisticsCollected numerical information
- indistinguishableImpossible to tell apart
- wavefunctionQuantum state's mathematical representation
symmetric · occupation · laser · superfluid · superconductor · commutation
standard model
Accepted reference framework
- vertexPoint where edges converge
- symmetryInvariance under transformation
- propagatorOne who spreads further
perturbation · scattering · cross-section · decay rate · amplitude
meson
Quark-antiquark bound state
- pionQuark-antiquark bound state
- helium-4Stable helium isotope
- alpha particleIonizing emission from decay
- mattermatter, atoms, molecules, atom, molecule
- physicsphysics, momentum, atom, acceleration, gravity
- Invisiblesair, atoms, electrons, gravity, magnetism
- particleselectrons, electron, protons, proton, neutrons
- particle physicsquark, quarks, lepton, leptons, fermion
- theoretical physicsquantum mechanics, relativity, general relativity, special relativity, thermodynamics