UPSC Prelims 2013 Q96: Science & Technology – Physics
The efforts to detect the existence of Higgs boson particle have become frequent news in
the recent past. What is/are the importance/ importances of discovering this particle?
1. It will enable us to understand as to why elementary particles have mass.
2. It will enable us in the near future to develop the technology of transferring matter from one
point to another without traversing the physical space between them.
3. It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear fission.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 only
Explanation
Importance of discovering the Higgs boson
The Higgs boson was found in July 2012 at CERN's Large Hadron Collider.
| Statement | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. It will enable us to understand as to why elementary particles have mass | Correct | Particles gain mass by interacting with the Higgs field |
| 2. It will enable us in the near future to transfer matter from one point to another without traversing the space between them | Incorrect | That is teleportation, with no link to the Higgs boson |
| 3. It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear fission | Incorrect | No link to nuclear fuel |
Key facts:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Predicted by | Peter Higgs and others in 1964 |
| Nobel Prize | 2013, to Peter Higgs and Francois Englert |
| Nickname | The 'God particle' |
| 'Boson' | Named after the Indian physicist Satyendra Nath Bose |
| Fits into | The Standard Model of particle physics |
Answer: (a) 1 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. The discovery explains why elementary particles have mass.
- (b) Incorrect. It has nothing to do with teleportation or nuclear fuels.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 3 on nuclear fission fuels is false.
- (d) Incorrect. Statements 2 and 3 are false.
Key point
Higgs boson (CERN, July 2012): confirms the Higgs field that gives mass to particles; Nobel 2013; 'boson' honours S.N. Bose.
Remember
Higgs boson explains mass.
Common mistakes
- Expecting practical gadgets from a discovery in basic physics.
- Thinking the particle is named after Bose; only the class 'boson' is.
- Confusing the Higgs boson with gravitational waves.
Exam tip
Higgs = mass. Science-fiction outcomes in the options are traps.
Sources
- CERN — The Higgs boson
- Nobel Prize — The Nobel Prize in Physics 2013