Relationship between Higgs particles and gravitons?

In summary, the conversation discussed the relationship between Higgs particles and gravitons and posed a hypothetical question about increasing the Higgs field around a planet. It was clarified that a "field" in the general physics sense cannot be extended and the Higgs field is just a mechanism for some particles to obtain mass. It was also mentioned that the gravitational constant and the Higgs mechanism may not be connected and increasing the vacuum expectation value may leave particle masses unchanged.
  • #1
Sophrosyne
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In trying to understand the relationship between Higgs particles and gravitons, I would like to pose a question on hypothetical question:

What would happen if you increase the Higgs field around a planet? It seems it would mean its mass increases, which would mean its gravitation increases, right? So if we assume gravitons exist, how does increased interaction with the Higgs field cause it to emit more gravitons? Or would it just have more mass, without necessarily more gravitational attraction?
 
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  • #2
I think you are misunderstanding the term "field" in this sense, it's a bit of an overloaded term. A "field" in the general physics sense is essentially a value attached to each point in space. It is not something that can be "extended", since it is part of the fabric of all spacetime anyway. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_(physics)

That Higgs field is just a mechanism for some particles to obtain mass that otherwise wouldn't, and it's also not the main source of mass as we know it anyway (kinetic energy is the biggest contributor afaik).
 
  • #3
You cannot "increase the Higgs field around a planet", or at least it is unclear what that means.

A planet that is not accelerated doesn't emit gravitons (assuming they exist), in the same way as an electron does not emit photons unless it gets accelerated.

If you increase the total energy of a planet in its rest frame, you increase its gravitational attraction.
 
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  • #4
rumborak said:
I think you are misunderstanding the term "field" in this sense, it's a bit of an overloaded term. A "field" in the general physics sense is essentially a value attached to each point in space. It is not something that can be "extended", since it is part of the fabric of all spacetime anyway. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_(physics)

That Higgs field is just a mechanism for some particles to obtain mass that otherwise wouldn't, and it's also not the main source of mass as we know it anyway (kinetic energy is the biggest contributor afaik).
I understand. I guess my question was that what would happen if the Higgs had a slightly higher field energy than now? Forget the planet example. Let's say there is a different universe with a slightly higher Higgs density/field energy. It seems it would increase the mass of the same amount of material. But In that hypothetical universe would the gravitational attraction of the same amount of material increase as well, or would you just have a different gravitational constant, perhaps lower, to compensate for the higher masses in this universe?
 
  • #5
We don't know if the gravitational constant and the Higgs mechanism are connected in any way.

We also don't know if the coupling constants and the vacuum expectation value (vev) are linked in any way, and both are important for particle masses. You could increase the vev and leave the particle masses unchanged.
 
  • #6
mfb said:
We don't know if the gravitational constant and the Higgs mechanism are connected in any way.

We also don't know if the coupling constants and the vacuum expectation value (vev) are linked in any way, and both are important for particle masses. You could increase the vev and leave the particle masses unchanged.
I see. Thank you.
 

What are Higgs particles and gravitons?

Higgs particles and gravitons are fundamental particles in the Standard Model of particle physics. Higgs particles are responsible for giving mass to other particles, while gravitons are hypothetical particles that are thought to mediate the force of gravity.

How are Higgs particles and gravitons related?

Higgs particles and gravitons are related through the theory of quantum gravity. It is believed that the Higgs field (which gives rise to Higgs particles) and the gravitational field (which is mediated by gravitons) are both affected by quantum effects and are therefore intertwined.

What is the significance of the relationship between Higgs particles and gravitons?

The relationship between Higgs particles and gravitons is significant because it could help us understand the fundamental forces of the universe and how they interact. It could also lead to the development of a unified theory that combines quantum mechanics and gravity.

What evidence supports the existence of Higgs particles and gravitons?

The existence of Higgs particles was confirmed in 2012 with the discovery of the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider. However, there is currently no direct evidence for the existence of gravitons. The search for gravitons is an active area of research in both particle physics and astrophysics.

What are the implications of the relationship between Higgs particles and gravitons?

The relationship between Higgs particles and gravitons could have many implications for our understanding of the universe. It could help us explain the nature of dark matter and dark energy, as well as shed light on the early moments of the Big Bang. It could also have practical applications in fields such as quantum computing and space travel.

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