The infinity puzzle : quantum field theory and the hunt for an orderly universe

Resource Information

The work The infinity puzzle : quantum field theory and the hunt for an orderly universe represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in San Francisco Public Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

The infinity puzzle : quantum field theory and the hunt for an orderly universe

Title remainder

quantum field theory and the hunt for an orderly universe

Statement of responsibility

Frank Close

Creator

• Close, F. E

Subject

• Higgs bosons
• Infinite
• Quantum field theory

Language

eng

Summary

"Speculation is rife that by 2012 the elusive Higgs boson will be found at the Large Hadron Collider. If found, the Higgs boson would help explain why everything has mass. But there's more at stake-what we're really testing is our capacity to make the universe reasonable. Our best understanding of physics is predicated on something known as quantum field theory. Unfortunately, in its raw form, it doesn't make sense-its outputs are physically impossible infinite percentages when they should be something simpler, like the number 1. The kind of physics that the Higgs boson represents seeks to "renormalize" field theory, forcing equations to provide answers that match what we see in the real world. The Infinity Puzzle is the story of a wild idea on the road to acceptance. Only Close can tell it"--Provided by publisher

Cataloging source

DLC

Dewey number

530.14/3

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

LC call number

QC174.45

LC item number

.C56 2011

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography