Electroweak epoch

Definition

The electroweak epoch is a period in the early universe during which the electromagnetic force and weak nuclear force were unified into a single electroweak force. This epoch occurred approximately $10^{-36}$ to $10^{-12}$ seconds after the Big Bang.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The electroweak epoch began when the temperature of the universe was around $10^{15}$ K.
2. During this epoch, the Higgs field had not yet acquired a non-zero vacuum expectation value.
3. The end of the electroweak epoch is marked by the electroweak symmetry breaking, leading to the separation of electromagnetic and weak forces.
4. This period is crucial for understanding processes like baryogenesis, which explains matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe.
5. W and Z bosons gained mass after the symmetry breaking at the end of this epoch.

Review Questions

Related terms

Electroweak Symmetry Breaking: The process that occurs at the end of the electroweak epoch, resulting in separate electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces.

Higgs Field: A field that gives mass to particles via its non-zero vacuum expectation value after symmetry breaking.

Baryogenesis: A theoretical process explaining how matter became more abundant than antimatter in the early universe.