quantum fields
Fundamental physical substrates
Quantum fields are the fundamental entities in modern physics from which particles emerge.
Rather than treating particles as tiny objects moving through space, quantum field theory describes reality as fields pervading all of spacetime—the electromagnetic field, the electron field, the quark field.
What we observe as particles are excitations or vibrations in these underlying fields: The Higgs field gives other particles their mass.
The framework unifies quantum mechanics with special relativity and underlies the Standard Model of particle physics.
Quantum state's mathematical representation
- discreteIndividually separate, unconnected
- operatorsThose who manage equipment
- observablesQuantities that can be detected
- uncertainty principleConjugate variables resist simultaneous precision
Electromagnetic radiation unit
- gluonStrong force mediator
- quarkFundamental matter particle
- electronNegative subatomic particle
- neutrinoUncharged, near-massless particle
boson · fermion · Higgs boson · W boson · graviton · positron · muon · antiparticle
Transient intermediaries in interactions
- ground stateLowest possible energy configuration
- tunnelingDigging underground passages
Sustained price level increase
- dark energyForce accelerating universal expansion
- nucleosynthesisAtomic core formation process
- reheatingRestoring temperature to food
wavefunction
Quantum state's mathematical representation
- discreteIndividually separate, unconnected
- operatorsThose who manage equipment
- observablesQuantities that can be detected
uncertainty principle · superposition · entanglement · coherence · decoherence
photon
Electromagnetic radiation unit
neutrino · boson · fermion · Higgs boson · W boson · graviton · positron · muon · antiparticle · lepton
virtual particles
Transient intermediaries in interactions
- propagatorOne who spreads further
virtual particles
Transient intermediaries in interactions
- ground stateLowest possible energy configuration
- tunnelingDigging underground passages
inflation
Sustained price level increase
- dark energyForce accelerating universal expansion
- nucleosynthesisAtomic core formation process
- reheatingRestoring temperature to food
quantum fieldsclassical mechanics
Laws governing macroscopic motion
classical physics · Newtonian physics · corpuscular theory · general relativity
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