The Basics of Particle Physics

Particle physics is the branch of physics that explores the fundamental building blocks of matter and radiation, along with their interactions. It examines particles that exhibit wave-particle duality and represents them through quantum state vectors in Hilbert space. The behavior and interactions of these elementary particles are described by quantum field theory, with the Standard Model serving as the established framework. The Standard Model accounts for 61 particles, including 24 fermions, 8 gluons, the photon, and the W-, W+, and Z bosons. Additionally, the model explains the fundamental interactions between these particles, including electromagnetic, strong, and weak forces. Advancements in particle physics have led to a range of practical applications, such as the production of medical isotopes used in external beam radiotherapy and PET imaging, the development of touchscreen technology, and the creation of the World Wide Web. This book is a compilation of chapters that discuss the most vital concepts in the field of particle physics. It provides comprehensive insights into this field. In this book, constant effort has been made to make the understanding of the difficult concepts as easy and informative as possible, for the readers.