The Standard Model of Particle Physics

Carlos A. García Canal

Laboratorio de Física Teórica
Departamento de Física
Universidad Nacional de La Plata
C.C. 67 - 1900 La Plata
CONICET
Argentina

Abstract:

A primer on the Standard Model of the electroweak interaction is presented. It starts with a critical review of the historical Fermi and intermediate boson weak interaction models. After introducing gauge symmetries and gauge fields, the latent symmetry, or spontaneous symmetry breaking is discussed in order to introduce the Higgs mechanism. Finally the Lagrangian of the $SU(2)_L \times U(1)_Y$ model is constructed and analyzed. Phenomenological aspects of the model are discussed. A brief introduction of $SU(3)_C$, the strong interaction gauge theory of quarks and gluons, is also presented.