Particle Physics Cheat Sheet!
Standard Model-a list of all the particles, their properties, and interactions
Fermion-a particle that obeys Fermi-Dirac statistics and is a component of matter and has half-integer spin
Boson-a particle that obeys Bose-Einstein statistics and carries a force such as the electromagnetic force and has whole-integer spin
Spin-a form of angular momentum that is a basic property of particles and helps determine if they are a boson or a fermion
Supersymmetry-a theory that says each Standard Model particles has a mirror image twin, so that each Standard fermion has a supersymmetric boson and vice-versa
Lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP)-the lightest particle in a given supersymmetry theory
Neutralinos-neutral supersymmetric particles
Parameter space-a set of values that determines certain properties of supersymmetric particles and their interactions
Spontaneous supersymmetry breaking-the energy level at which supersymmetric particles are "broken" into Standard Model particles
Planck scale-1.22x10^19 GeV, the scale at which gravity may become integrated with quantum mechanics and strings may become visible
String theory-the idea that all particles are actually tiny, 1-dimensional vibrating strings that must exist in extra spatial dimensions
Superstrings-Strings that represent supersymmetric particles
Virtual particles-particles that exist for such a short period of time they aren't considered part of normal reality
Time-energy Uncertainty Principle-formulated by Werner Heisenberg, this suggests that for particles with extremely short lifespans, there is a degree of uncertainty to the energy that can be measured
Casimir Effect-two uncharged metal plates in a vacuum will still feel a force between them that arises from the vacuum itself
Vacuum energy-sometimes referred to as the Cosmological Constant, this seemingly paradoxical concept arises from quantum field theory and states that the vacuum of space has energy associated with virtual particles
Quantum field theory-states that all particles have all-pervasive fields associated with them, like the Higgs Field, that exist throughout all of space
Higgs field-the field associated with the Higgs Boson that gives mass to other particles as they interact with it
Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR)-the leftover microwave radiation from the energy of the Big Bang, sometimes referred to as the oldest light int he universe
Strong nuclear force-the force that holds the quarks in protons and neutrons together, and is unleashed in nuclear weapons, carried by the gluon
Weak nuclear force-the force responsible for the decay of radioactive isotopes into more stable isotopes, carried by the W and Z bosons
Electromagnetic force-the force responsible for light, electricity, and magnetism, carried by the photon
Large Hadron Collider-extremely powerful particle accelerator in Geneva, Switzerland
Dark matter-the "missing mass" of the universe that does not interact with light and is of unknown properties
Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs)-large particles that only interact through the weak nuclear force and gravity
WIMP miracle-the lucky coincidence that the WIMP relic density should exactly match that of dark matter
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis-early universe production of light elements hydrogen, helium, and lithium
Thermal production-states that WIMPs were produced during the early, hot stages of the Big Bang
Non-thermal production-states that WIMPs were produced during the universe's transition into a cooler state
Freeze-out-the point at which WIMPs can no longer find an anti-WIMP to annihilate with and the density reaches what it is today
Anti-matter-particles with the opposite charge and spin of their normal counterparts; if they touch normal particles, both will explode in a burst of energy
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