Gauge theories are a class of field theories in which the Lagrangian (the mathematical description of the dynamics of a system) is invariant under local transformations from a certain group of symmetries, known as gauge transformations. These theories play a fundamental role in our understanding of fundamental interactions in physics, particularly in the Standard Model of particle physics.
Accidental symmetry is a concept often encountered in various fields, including physics, mathematics, and even art and architecture. It refers to a situation where a system or object exhibits a symmetry that is not inherent or fundamental to its structure but rather arises from particular circumstances or specific configurations. In physics, for example, accidental symmetries can emerge in the context of particle physics or quantum mechanics.
The Background Field Method (BFM) is a technique used in theoretical physics, particularly in quantum field theory, to simplify the calculations involving quantum fields. This method involves separating the fields into a "background" part and a "fluctuation" part. ### Key Concepts: 1. **Background Field**: In this context, the background field represents a classical configuration or solution of the field equations. It is treated as a fixed, external influence on the quantum fields.
The Bogoliubov–Parasyuk theorem is a result in the field of quantum field theory, specifically regarding the renormalization of certain types of divergent integrals that arise in perturbative calculations. Named after the physicists Nikolay Bogoliubov and Oleg Parasyuk, the theorem addresses the problems associated with the infinities that appear in the calculation of physical phenomena in quantum field theories.
The Bogomol'nyi–Prasad–Sommerfield (BPS) bound is a concept in theoretical physics, particularly in the context of supersymmetry and solitons in field theories. It refers to a bound on the mass of certain solitonic solutions (like monopoles or other topological defects) in terms of their charge and other physical parameters.
The Casimir effect is a physical phenomenon that arises from quantum field theory and describes the attractive force between two closely spaced, uncharged conductive plates in a vacuum. This effect is rooted in the concept of vacuum fluctuations, where virtual particles constantly pop in and out of existence due to the uncertainty principle. Here's a more detailed explanation: 1. **Quantum Fields and Vacuum Fluctuations**: According to quantum mechanics, even a perfect vacuum isn't truly empty.
The chiral model is a theoretical framework used primarily in the fields of particle physics and condensed matter physics. It revolves around the concept of chirality, which refers to the property of asymmetry in physical systems, where two configurations cannot be superimposed onto each other. Here are two key contexts in which chiral models are used: ### 1. **Particle Physics:** In particle physics, chiral models are often associated with the chiral symmetry of fermionic fields.
The Coleman–Mandula theorem is a result in theoretical physics and quantum field theory, particularly in the context of the study of symmetries in fundamental interactions. The theorem addresses the possible symmetries of a quantum field theory that includes both spacetime symmetries (like Lorentz transformations and translations) and internal symmetries (such as gauge symmetries).
The Coleman-Weinberg potential is a quantum field theoretical concept that describes the effective potential of a scalar field and plays a key role in understanding spontaneous symmetry breaking in particle physics, particularly in the context of quantum field theories involving scalar fields. Originally introduced by Sidney Coleman and Eric Weinberg in the 1970s, the Coleman-Weinberg potential arises when one considers radiative corrections (the effects of virtual particles) to the potential of a scalar field.
Dimensional transmutation is a concept that often arises in theoretical physics, particularly in discussions of higher-dimensional theories, string theory, and certain interpretations of quantum mechanics. While it isn't a widely standardized term across all fields, it typically refers to the idea of transforming or changing the dimensional properties of objects or fields. Here are some contexts in which dimensional transmutation might be relevant: 1. **String Theory**: In string theory, there are more than the conventional three spatial dimensions.
Hawking radiation is a theoretical prediction made by physicist Stephen Hawking in 1974. It refers to the radiation that is emitted by black holes due to quantum effects near the event horizon. According to quantum mechanics, empty space is not truly empty but is rather filled with virtual particles that are continually popping in and out of existence. Near the event horizon of a black hole, it is thought that these virtual particle pairs can be separated.
Light-front quantization is a theoretical framework used in quantum field theory (QFT) that reformulates how particles and fields are quantized. Instead of using the conventional equal-time quantization where fields are defined and treated at equal times (often leading to complications in dealing with relativistic systems), light-front quantization operates in a frame where the "front" of space-time is characterized by light-cone coordinates.
Mandelstam variables are quantities used in particle physics to describe the kinematics of scattering processes. They provide a convenient way to express the conservation laws and relationships between the energies and momenta of the particles involved.
A one-loop Feynman diagram is a graphical representation used in quantum field theory to depict the interactions of particles where a single closed loop of virtual particles is involved. Feynman diagrams are a powerful tool for visualizing and calculating scattering amplitudes and other processes in high-energy physics. In a one-loop diagram: - **Vertices** represent the interaction points where particles interact, such as the emission or absorption of particles. - **Lines** represent particles.
Quantum nonlocality is a phenomenon in quantum mechanics that describes the ability of quantum systems to exhibit correlations that cannot be explained by classical physics, even when parts of the system are separated by large distances. This concept is closely associated with entanglement, where two or more particles become interconnected in such a way that the state of one particle instantaneously influences the state of another, regardless of the space between them.
The Reshetikhin–Turaev invariant is a mathematical concept from the field of low-dimensional topology, particularly in the study of knots and 3-manifolds. Introduced by Nikolai Reshetikhin and Vladimir Turaev in the late 1980s, the invariant provides a way to associate algebraic structures to knots and 3-manifolds using representations of quantum groups and the theory of quantum invariants.
In physics, particularly in the context of quantum mechanics and general relativity, the concept of "spin" refers to an intrinsic form of angular momentum carried by elementary particles, composite particles (like atomic nuclei), and even molecules. The spin tensor is a mathematical representation that captures the properties of spin in various physical theories. ### Spin Tensor in Quantum Mechanics 1.
John Stachel is an American physicist known for his work in the field of general relativity, particularly in relation to the theories of Albert Einstein. He has contributed to the understanding of gravitational waves and black hole physics, and is recognized for his efforts in the promotion and dissemination of Einstein's work. In addition to his scientific contributions, Stachel has played a role in the historical study of Einstein's theories, including examining their philosophical implications.
An ancilla bit, in the context of quantum computing, refers to an additional qubit that is used to assist in computations but is not part of the main input or output of the quantum algorithm. Ancilla bits serve several purposes, such as: 1. **Facilitating Quantum Gates**: Ancilla bits can help in implementing certain quantum gates or operations that may be difficult to perform directly on the main qubits.
Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project
Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
Intro to OurBigBook
. Source. We have two killer features:
- topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculusArticles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
- a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
- a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.Figure 1. Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page. View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivativeVideo 2. OurBigBook Web topics demo. Source. - local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
- to OurBigBook.com to get awesome multi-user features like topics and likes
- as HTML files to a static website, which you can host yourself for free on many external providers like GitHub Pages, and remain in full control
Figure 3. Visual Studio Code extension installation.Figure 4. Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation.Figure 5. Web editor. You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.Video 3. Edit locally and publish demo. Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.Video 4. OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo. Source. - Infinitely deep tables of contents:
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact





