Part 7/14:
The Higgs field, much like a pendulum balancing on its tip, settled into a non-zero state, breaking the symmetry and giving mass to W and Z bosons. This process—Higgs mechanism—is fundamental for understanding how particles acquire inertia, the property we call mass.
The Higgs Field: The Universe’s Sticky Substance
The Higgs field is characterized by its vacuum expectation value (VEV)—a non-zero value pervading space. Particles interacting with this field experience resistance or inertia, effectively making them massive. Conversely, particles like photons do not interact with the Higgs field, allowing them to travel at light speed.