What is High energy physics: Definition and 84 Discussions

Particle physics (also known as high energy physics) is a branch of physics that studies the nature of the particles that constitute matter and radiation. Although the word particle can refer to various types of very small objects (e.g. protons, gas particles, or even household dust), particle physics usually investigates the irreducibly smallest detectable particles and the fundamental interactions necessary to explain their behaviour.
In current understanding, these elementary particles are excitations of the quantum fields that also govern their interactions. The currently dominant theory explaining these fundamental particles and fields, along with their dynamics, is called the Standard Model. Thus, modern particle physics generally investigates the Standard Model and its various possible extensions, e.g. to the newest "known" particle, the Higgs boson, or even to the oldest known force field, gravity.

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  1. T

    Is anyone investigating about High Energy Physics?

    Hey, what's up? I'm wondering if anyone in this sub-forum actually works on High Energy particles. I want to know if you can introduce me on this matter (yes I know I can read Wikipedia and a ton of book but I want to have the word of a expert in this matter). I'd be glad if you can tell me...
  2. K

    Upper Limit of EM-Field Strength

    Hello! Which are the highest theoretically possible electric and magnetic vacuum field strengths E and H? How are they calculated?
  3. Phoenix Baldez

    Nuclear Engineer Looking into High Energy Physics Detectors

    So I am a senior nuclear engineer with a good GPA and I've actually taken some extra math (PDEs) and physics (nuclear physics and astrophysics) courses over the years. I am extremely interested in detection in general. I have worked at a national lab designing and building neutron detectors and...
  4. H

    Exploring Non-Perturbative QCD & High Energy Physics

    Hi every one, This time i am studying Quantum field theory and some times we call also high energy physics. But when we study QCD, more we focus on the confinement part, i.e non-perturbative part. That means low energy or large distance. My question is, can we consider non-perturbative QCD as...
  5. S

    Schools Most suited US university for PhD in Theoretical High Energy Physics?

    My plan is to apply for PhD in the US, and my research interest is in theoretical high energy physics. I'm not interested in computation and want to do formal theory, something to do with Srting/GTR/Cosmology. I have gotten my MSc (2-yr) from IIT Kanpur with CPI 7.6/10.0. I'm going to be taking...
  6. J

    Monte Carlo in high energy physics

    Why is it necessary to use Monte Carlo methods in high energy physics? There is Feynman calculus to evaluate matrix elements for various interactions and the relativistic Fermi's Golden Rule for decays and scattering to obtain a decay width or differential cross section. What are we...
  7. N

    Where do I fit? Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, and High Energy Physics

    Hello all, My question is really simple. I really like working on problems that involve Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, and I also really enjoy fields of Theoretical Physics that probe the nature of reality (quantum mechanics, high energy & elementary particle physics, string theory, etc.) I...
  8. S

    Switching from High Energy Physics to condensed matter theory

    Hello, I am a master student, currently starting a master thesis on plasma astrophysics after a master focused on high energy theory (lots of QFT and particle physics, with some supersymmetry, string theory...). I already have funding to continue my master thesis as a PhD, but I am getting...
  9. K

    Is the field of high energy physics shrinking?

    I'm an undergrad at a large research university and I've been working in a high energy physics group for about two years now. Recently, a postdoc (my main advisor in the group) and I got into a more general discussion about high energy physics as a whole. He is very concerned that the funding...
  10. S

    Publishing in High Energy Physics ?

    I am planning to publish a paper after extending my MS thesis work. What i am planning to to do is not something new. Some people worked on those recently i will extend that for more models using their formalism. But to do that lots of numerical and computational work is needed. I have written...
  11. jfy4

    Challenges of very high energy physics

    Hi, I'm not very "hip" with how accurate current experimental techniques are at distance scales less then that of the proton's size, but I am wondering about how strong our current theoretical tools are (and assumed to be) at smaller scales. I know we are searching for a quantum theory of...
  12. A

    Is spending huge money on high energy physics expt justified?

    I am asking this question here rather than in some other forum assuming most of those interested in HEP visit this forum. I personally believe that high energy physics attempts to find answers to some of the most fundamental questions in nature and hence spending huge amount of money for this...
  13. A

    A few doubts about quantum field theory and high energy physics.

    1. I read that the picture of gauge bosons as mediators of interaction originates in and is valid in perturbation theory. But how do we know that picture is correct? We do perturbation theory only because we do not know how to study a system in a fully non-perturbative way. If someday we...
  14. W

    Has anyone noticed that there are patterns everywhere in high energy physics?

    As I am studying the very basics topics of high energy physics on my own time I find that there are patterns everywhere, the same kind of patterns. Where there are 6 quark types and those come in three pairs, for example the up and down quarks. Then you have leptons which do the exact same...
  15. N

    Difference between nuclear, particle, and high energy physics?

    What is the difference in them? They all seem to be very similar at face value and they have some overlapping study. Particle physics studies subatomic particle and its constituents, nuclear physics studies how they interact in the nucleus of a proton/proton and the quark-gluon force...
  16. Z

    Is Pure math of any use in Theoretical high energy physics?

    Is Pure math like functional analysis and real analysis of any use in Theoretical high energy physics research ? Do I need to learn them?
  17. I

    Which European Universities Offer Top Programs in High Energy Physics?

    Hello, I'm currently an undergraduate student (well, a graduate one in France, but I'm considered as an undergraduate in the UK or the US) in Ecole Polytechnique, France. I followed a strong cursus in mathematics and physics and I am know in my last year in Ecole Polytechnique with a major in...
  18. Z

    High Energy Physics: Q&A on Computational Skills & Math Courses

    I have some questions regarding High Energy Physics Are Computational Physics and Programming Skills of use for The High Energy Physicist or is it sufficient to only know how to use MATLAB ? Also should I take courses in Algebraic topology and Algebraic geometry ? Also What other math courses...
  19. O

    Advices for a career in high energy physics

    Hi everyone-- This is my first post here, and I don't want this thread to look one of those that is created on every forum resulting on google, helplessly seeking help. I have been reading this forum for some time, and I guess I can ask for some academical advice and guidance. I believe it is...
  20. K

    High Energy Physics: Exploring the Possibilities

    I've always been fascinated by the simplicity and elegance intertwined within the fabric of High Energy Physics, from Particle Physics to Superstring Theory/LQG and it has convinced me that this is a field I wish to pursue. The idea discoursing my dream is: "Is this still a fruitful area of...
  21. Pengwuino

    Question about Natural Units in High Energy Physics

    I have a quick question about the units used in high energy physics. In natural units, c = h = 1, but I keep seeing time referenced as t=\frac{1}{m^2}. I figure there's 2 h-bars on top but that still leaves s^2. Can someone straighten me out here? Thanks!
  22. X

    Schools High Energy Physics: Navigating the Application Process

    More and more I'm thinking that I'd like to do high energy physics in grad school. But at the same time I recognize that I'm not a genius and the competition is very stiff in high energy physics. So I'm wondering if applying to a particular school for their high energy program would make it...
  23. R

    Math needed for high energy physics?

    How important is measure theory for high energy physics? My math skills are poor compared to my physics knowledge, so I want to focus more time studying math rather than physics, but I don't know what type of math to study. I can't find any online video lectures of things like differential...
  24. M

    Need advice for high energy physics programs with low GPA but good otherwise

    Top university in my country (Taiwan) Undergrad GPA: 3.3/3.1 overall/major Grad (Master) GPA: 3.5 sGRE: 970 GRE: 580/800/4 v/q/w TOEFL: 112 Publication: 3rd out of 50+ authors in PRL I would like to pursue a PhD in physics, but to do that I'd need to get admitted somewhere first... I...
  25. B

    Best 3rd year project for High Energy Physics

    I have to choose my disertation for next year and I've been given a selection of topics. I'm interested in doing an MSc/PhD in high energy physics but my school doesn't have anybody working in that area (only quantum gravity). I've singled it down to some choices: Hamiltonian Algebra and...
  26. S

    Programs Physics undergrad degree (→theoretical high energy physics) in the US?

    I am currently a high school student (in my final year) in South Africa. I am passionate about physics, and can frankly see myself following no other career path. Ultimately it is my goal to become a theoretical high energy physicist. (And then unify quantum mechanics with general relativity...
  27. H

    Graduate School for HEP: What to Do?

    I originally wanted to go into graduate school for exp. HEP. I now have several options for graduate studies and I'm now confused as to what to do. I want to work on particle physics specifically on the LHC experiments. However, I was told by my undergrad. advisor that after taking my...
  28. Y

    Electrical/Computer Engineer wants to become a High Energy Physics Theorist

    I want to learn and contribute to things like quantum gravity, M-Theory, and other theories beyond the standard model. I would also like to be able to interpret the results of experiments done in the LHC when it finally works again. So some amount of experimental work is needed too...
  29. T

    How to involve people in high energy physics?

    how to involve people in high energy physics? how to improve our basics? what is needed to improve or build our basics?
  30. S

    Physics How Is High Energy Physics as Career?

    Lot of people asking about the jobs and salary of Astrophysics and i have also asked before. Now i ask about high energy physics..What about salary at CERN and Fermilab ? and is it has more job opportunities than Astrophysics and theoritical physics at usa or europe? What do you say?
  31. ZapperZ

    Proposed US Budget A Major Blow to High Energy Physics

    If you haven't noticed it yet, the budget that was approved by the US House of Representative, and which President Bush intended to sign after it makes its way through the Senate, is a severe blow to several areas of physics, especially in High Energy Physics. This includes a severe cut to the...
  32. maverick280857

    Purusing High Energy Physics (research)

    Hello all This thread is a continuation of my previous thread (https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=122582) where some of my queries about physics curriculum at the undergraduate level were answered. Basic intro: I am getting into a Bachelors program in Electrical Engineering at...
  33. E

    Exploring the Reality of High Energy Physics: From Accelerators to Theories

    I have a few questions: 1) I read that particle physics uses accelarators and computers to compare results according to Feynman diagrams. According to the precision these diagrams may be 70 or 40000 and eventually millions to trillions all very complex to calcuate. At what point (decimal...
  34. marcus

    Outlook for High Energy Physics (Wilczek)

    Franck Wilczek Inventory and Outlook for High Energy Physics http://arxiv.org/hep-ph/0212128 it's the summary perspective talk at the end of a large conference that took place last year does anyone know a better overview of the field's recent achievements, major challenges, and...
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