Quantum field: A revolution in Physics
Quantum field are something which you may be unaware of, but it influences us in a lot of ways.
What is quantum field theory?
You may be knowing that there are electromagnetic fields as you may have influenced with the use of an electromagnet. These fields are found near the electromagnet and are said to cause them to attract things which lie on this field. In a quantum level or on the level of atoms which are tiny unit which consist of tiny particles called an electron, proton, and neutron. Of which, proton and neutron are indeed composed of quarks which have the gluon field. Which are responsible for the strong hold of quarks which is due to the presence of strong force, which is one of the four forces. These fields give them their characteristics as particles are nothing but the excitation in the field. Fields are said to underlay everything and a change in them causes a change in the proposition of the particle. You can understand a field as a pond of still water and particle are the ripples that form in it after a stone is thrown in it. Universe can also be described as a field with disturbances happening all the time.
Fields that surround us
We are surrounded by the gravitational field of the earth which causes us to fall every time we are above the surface with some mass. Gravity seem to interact with space-time causing ripples into spacetime as in the case of a black hole which creates a massive hole in the space-time. We have electromagnetic field which is due to movement of charges which causes them to attract things due to flow of electricity. Electromagnetic fields interact with charges causing an electromagnetic wave which is light. It can be seen through the eye like the light of the sun tells us the electromagnetic field of the sun which forces the fusion of the sun to happen, and we absorb it as it reaches our eye. The strong force has a gluon field which is found inside the proton and neutron, and it’s interaction with the field is responsible for the mass of proton and neutron. Weak field are the field that connect and join the neutron and proton at the centre of the nucleus. It interacts with the fields of other particle like neutron for beta decay. These interactions between different fields of particle helps us to better understand the quantum field of different atoms. Theories also state that there are fields virtual particles(particle that are said to not present in the real world) of that are constantly interacting with themselves which gives energy that the vacuum possess.
Quantum field - in a nutshell
Quantum field interact in a number of ways which can be explained by the possibility at which they occur. The interaction are based upon the charge and parity of the particle and the symmetry of spacetime. They decide the way interaction happen like the interaction of photon and electron can be said to happen in the number of ways. The field is responsible for mass of different particle, and it is also said to be responsible for spacetime to exist in such a way. Gravitational field interaction leads to the creation of space-time. Like when you reach the absolute zero all the interaction stops leading to spacetime related to the object to stop working. The Quantum field Theory explains, how in a quantum scale a particle interaction leads to creation of all different phenomenon of the world. It can be classified in a lot of different basis as QED(Quantum Electrodynamics), QCD(Quantum Chromodynamics). In which states like vacuum interacts with fields and has energy which is referred to as the quantum zero point energy. While in QCD, quarks interact on the basis of colour which is just given to explain their interaction with the gluon field. Quantum field help us analyse the particles and different activities in the universe in great detail. The Gravitational field interaction also change the spacetime around it like a place with very high gravity is suggested to have time moving fast relative to us while a place with less gravitational influence will have time moving slow. The field also enable us to look for new particle such as the Higgs field theorized by Peter Higgs led to the discovery of Higgs Boson.
Quantum Field- The Truth
Quantum field equation which has been formulated since the Dirac put forth the idea of quantum electrodynamic. The equation was formularized in the late 1970s. It is one of the seven equation that hasn’t been successfully used and the person who could indicate its use would get a massive reward of 1 million dollars. The equation of everything we have found so far, can also be formulated with the use of quantum field theory.
After the discovery of quantum field theory we have come so far but still, we haven’t been able to properly use the equation to measure the mechanism of quantum fields that surround us. The quantum field has helped us find an explanation to many of our problem and understand quantum mechanics and universe in a better way but still a lot is left for us to uncover and finally use the quantum field to expand our knowledge of physics a step further. Hopefully in future we may finally use the field equation to better our knowledge that form all the stuff in the universe.
Here are some videos related to quantum fields:
To get a simple understanding watch this one:
