The Higgs Field, explained - Don Lincoln

Don Lincoln 解釋希格斯場

譯者: Yamei Huang 審譯者: 瑞文Eleven 林Lim

Without a doubt,

毫無疑問的，

the most exciting scientific observation of 2012

2012 年最令人興奮的科學進展

was the discovery of a new particle

正是 CERN (歐洲核子研究組織)實驗室

at the CERN laboratory

所發現的一種新粒子

that could be the Higgs boson,

也就是希格斯玻色子，

a particle named after physicist Peter Higgs.

是以物理學家彼得·希格斯來命名。

The Higgs Field is thought to give mass

希格斯場被認為

to fundamental, subatomic particles

是構成次原子粒子質量的基礎

like the quarks

如夸克

and leptons

以及輕子

that make up ordinary matter.

這些組成事物的物質

The Higgs bosons are wiggles in the field,

希格斯玻色子在希格斯場的振動，

like the bump you see

就像是你拉動繩索時

when you twitch a rope.

所產生的晃動情況一樣。

But how does this field give mass to particles?

但希格斯場如何讓粒子產生質量？

If this sounds confusing to you,

如果這樣的解釋令你感到困惑，

you're not alone.

其他的人也是一樣。

In 1993, the British Science Minister

於 1993 年，英國的科學部長

challenged physicists to invent a simple way

對物理學家提出挑戰：找出一個簡單的方法

to understand all this Higgs stuff.

來解釋希格斯場的觀念。

The prize was a bottle of quality champagne.

獎賞是一瓶高檔的香檳。

The winning explanation went something like this:

得獎者的解釋如下：

Suppose there's a large cocktail party

假設在 CERN 實驗室舉辦一場

at the CERN laboratory

大型的雞尾酒會

filled with particle physics researchers.

酒會裡擠滿粒子物理學研究人員。

This crowd of physicists represents the Higgs field.

這群物理學家代表希格斯場

If a tax collector entered the party,

假如有一個稅務人員走進了酒會

nobody would want to talk to them,

沒有人要與他交談，

and they could very easily cross the room

所以他可以很快地通過人群

to get to the bar.

走到吧台。

The tax collector wouldn't interact with the crowd

稅務人員沒有與擁擠的人群互動

in much the same way

就如同

that some particles don't interact with the Higgs field.

一些粒子不會與希格斯場互動

The particles that don't interact,

這些不會與希格斯場互動的粒子

like photons for example,

例如光子

are called massless.

就稱為零質量的粒子

Now, suppose that Peter Higgs entered the same room,

現在，假設彼得·希格斯走進了這個酒會

perhaps in search of a pint.

或許是為了喝一杯

In this case, the physicists

這個情況下，科學家們

will immediately crowd around Higgs

立即圍繞在希格斯身邊

to discuss with him

與希格斯討論

their efforts to measure the properties

他們為了量測希格斯玻色子屬性

of his namesake boson.

所做的研究

Because he interacts strongly with the crowd,

因為希格斯與這群科學家有緊密的互動

Higgs will move slowly across the room.

所以他只能在這酒會裡緩慢移動

Continuing our analogy,

以此類推

Higgs has become a massive particle

希格斯透過與酒會的科學家們的互動

through his interactions with the field.

他變成一個巨大質量的粒子

So, if that's the Higgs field,

如果這是希格斯場，

how does the Higgs boson fit into all of this?

如何知道希格斯玻色子適用這個假說？

Let's pretend our crowd of party goers

讓我們假設參與酒會的人

is uniformly spread across the room.

是均勻地分佈在這個會場

Now suppose someone pops their head in the door

假設有人在門邊探出頭來

to report a rumor of a discovery

傳了一個謠言說

at some distant, rival laboratory.

在遙遠的對手的實驗室裡，有一個新發現

People near the door will hear the rumor,

站在門邊的人聽到傳聞

but people far away won't,

但站在稍遠的人則聽不到

so they'll move closer to the door to ask.

所以，他們會向門靠近，去問個清楚

This will create a clump in the crowd.

有聽到此傳聞的人

As people have heard the rumor,

會回到他們原來站的位置

they will return to their original positions

形成小團體

to discuss its implications,

互相討論這個傳聞

but people further away will then ask what's going on.

而站在更遠的人此時會問發生了什麼事

The result will be a clump in the crowd

其結果是在人群中一叢人聚集

that moves across the room.

通過會場

This clump is analogous to the Higgs boson.

可把這些移動中的人們比擬成希格斯玻色子

It is important to remember

重要的是，要記得

that it is not that massive particles

這不是一個巨大的粒子

interact more with the Higgs field.

與希格斯場有更多的互動

In our analogy of the party,

在這酒會我們所做的比喻

all particles are equal until they enter the room.

所有粒子都相同，直到進入會場才改變

Both Peter Higgs and the tax collector have zero mass.

不論是希格斯或稅務人員都沒有質量

It is the interaction with the crowd

是因為與人們有互動

that causes them to gain mass.

才會產生質量

I'll say that again.

說得沒錯

Mass comes from interactions with a field.

質量是來自與會場人員的互動

So, let's recap.

我們來做個重點整理

A particle gets more or less mass

粒子獲得質量的多寡

depending on how it interacts with a field,

端視其與會場互動的情況而定

just like different people will move through the crowd

就像是不同的人要穿過擁擠的人群

at different speeds depending on their popularity.

他的人氣決定其移動的速度

希格斯玻色子就像是會場裡的小團體

And the Higgs boson is just a clump in the field,

like a rumor crossing the room.

如同謠言傳遍會場的情形

Of course, this analogy is just that --

當然，這個比諭

an analogy,

只能說是一個比諭而已，

but it's the best analogy

但這個比諭，到目前為止

anyone has come up with so far.

是人們能想出的最好的方法

So, that's it.

所以，我們透過這個比諭

That's what the Higgs Field

來了解希格斯場

and the Higgs boson is all about.

以及希格斯玻色子

Continuing research will tell us if we found it,

持續地研究，將告訴我們該粒子與否存在

and the reward will probably be more

而發現這個粒子的獎賞

than just a bottle of champagne.

將不會只是一瓶香檳。