The Unification of Forces

Learning objectives

Section Key Terms

Understanding the Grand Unified Theory

Present quests to show that the four basic forces are different manifestations of a single unified force that follow a long tradition. In the nineteenth century, the distinct electric and magnetic forces were shown to be intimately connected and are now collectively called the electromagnetic force. More recently, the weak nuclear force was united with the electromagnetic force. As shown in Figure_23_03_WeakFeyn, carrier particles transmit three of the four fundamental forces in very similar ways. With these considerations in mind, it is natural to suggest that a theory may be constructed in which the strong nuclear, weak nuclear, and electromagnetic forces are all unified. The search for a correct theory linking the forces, called the Grand Unified Theory (GUT), is explored in this section.

In the 1960s, the electroweak theory was developed by Steven Weinberg, Sheldon Glashow, and Abdus Salam. This theory proposed that the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces are identical at sufficiently high energies. At lower energies, like those in our present-day universe, the two forces remain united but manifest themselves in different ways. One of the main consequences of the electroweak theory was the prediction of three short-range carrier particles, now known as the $W^{+},$ $W^{-},$ and ${\text{Z}}^0$ bosons. Not only were three particles predicted, but the mass of each ${\text{W}}^{+}$ and ${\text{W}}^{-}$ boson was predicted to be 81 GeV/c², and that of the ${\text{Z}}^0$ boson was predicted to be 90 GeV/c². In 1983, these carrier particles were observed at CERN with the predicted characteristics, including masses having those predicted values as given in Figure_23_02_Standard.

How can forces be unified? They are definitely distinct under most circumstances. For example, they are carried by different particles and have greatly different strengths. But experiments show that at extremely short distances and at extremely high energies, the strengths of the forces begin to become more similar, as seen in Figure_23_03_GUT.

As discussed earlier, the short ranges and large masses of the weak carrier bosons require correspondingly high energies to create them. Thus, the energy scale on the horizontal axis of Figure_23_03_GUT also corresponds to shorter and shorter distances (going from left to right), with 100 GeV corresponding to approximately 10⁻¹⁸ m, for example. At that distance, the strengths of the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces are the same. To test this, energies of about 100 GeV are put into the system. When this occurs, the ${\text{W}}^{+}$, ${\text{W}}^{-}$, and ${\text{Z}}^0$ carrier particles are created and released. At those and higher energies, the masses of the carrier particles become less and less relevant, and the ${\text{Z}}^0$ boson in particular resembles the massless, chargeless photon. As further energy is added, the ${\text{W}}^{+}$, ${\text{W}}^{-}$, and ${\text{Z}}^0$ particles are further transformed into massless carrier particles even more similar to photons and gluons.

The extremely short distances and high energies at which the electroweak force becomes identical with the strong nuclear force are not reachable with any conceivable human-built accelerator. At energies of about 10¹⁴ GeV (16,000 J per particle), distances of about 10^–30 m can be probed. Such energies are needed to test the theory directly, but these are about 10¹⁰ times higher than the maximum energy associated with the LHC, and the distances are about 10¹² smaller than any structure we have direct knowledge of. This would be the realm of various GUTs, of which there are many, since there is no constraining evidence at these energies and distances. Past experience has shown that anytime you probe so many orders of magnitude further, you find the unexpected.

While direct evidence of a GUT is not presently possible, that does not rule out the ability to assess a GUT through an indirect process. Current GUTs require various other events as a consequence of their theory. Some GUTs require the existence of magnetic monopoles, very massive individual north- and south-pole particles, which have not yet been proven to exist, while others require the use of extra dimensions. However, not all theories result in the same consequences. For example, disproving the existence of magnetic monopoles will not disprove all GUTs. Much of the science we accept in our everyday lives is based on different models, each with their own strengths and limitations. Although a particular model may have drawbacks, that does not necessarily mean that it should be discounted completely.

One consequence of GUTs that can theoretically be assessed is proton decay. Multiple current GUTs hypothesize that the stable proton should actually decay at a lifetime of 10³¹ years. While this time is incredibly large (keep in mind that the age of the universe is less than 14 billion years), scientists at the Super-Kamiokande in Japan have used a 50,000-ton tank of water to search for its existence. The decay of a single proton in the Super-Kamiokande tank would be observed by a detector, thereby providing support for the predicting GUT model. However, as of 2014, 17 years into the experiment, decay is yet to be found. This time span equates to a minimum limit on proton life of $5.9\times {10}^{33}$ years. While this result certainly does not support many grand unifying theories, an acceptable model may still exist.

The Standard Model and the Big Bang

Nature is full of examples where the macroscopic and microscopic worlds intertwine. Newton realized that the nature of gravity on Earth that pulls an apple to the ground could explain the motion of the moon and planets so much farther away. Decays of tiny nuclei explain the hot interior of the Earth. Fusion of nuclei likewise explains the energy of stars. Today, the patterns in particle physics seem to be explaining the evolution and character of the universe. And the nature of the universe has implications for unexplored regions of particle physics.

In 1929, Edwin Hubble observed that all but the closest galaxies surrounding our own had a red shift in their hydrogen spectra that was proportional to their distance from us. Applying the Doppler Effect, Hubble recognized that this meant that all galaxies were receding from our own, with those farther away receding even faster. Knowing that our place in the universe was no more unique than any other, the implication was clear: The space within the universe itself was expanding. Just like pen marks on an expanding balloon, everything in the universe was accelerating away from everything else.

Figure_23_03_Expansion shows how the recession of galaxies looks like the remnants of a gigantic explosion, the famous Big Bang. Extrapolating backward in time, the Big Bang would have occurred between 13 and 15 billion years ago, when all matter would have been at a single point. From this, questions instantly arise. What caused the explosion? What happened before the Big Bang? Was there a before, or did time start then? For our purposes, the biggest question relating to the Big Bang is this: How does the Big Bang relate to the unification of the fundamental forces?

To fully understand the conditions of the very early universe, recognize that as the universe contracts to the size of the Big Bang, changes will occur. The density and temperature of the universe will increase dramatically. As particles become closer together, they will become too close to exist as we know them. The high energies will create other, more unusual particles to exist in greater abundance. Knowing this, let’s move forward from the start of the universe, beginning with the Big Bang, as illustrated in Figure_23_03_Timeline.

The Planck Epoch $\left(0\to {10}^{\mathrm{-43}}s\right)$ —Though scientists are unable to model the conditions of the Planck Epoch in the laboratory, speculation is that at this time compressed energy was great enough to reach the immense ${10}^{19}$ GeV necessary to unify gravity with all other forces. As a result, modern cosmology suggests that all four forces would have existed as one force, a hypothetical superforce as suggested by the Theory of Everything.

The Grand Unification Epoch $\left({10}^{\mathrm{-43}}\to {10}^{\mathrm{-36}}s\right)$ —As the universe expands, the temperatures necessary to maintain the superforce decrease. As a result, gravity separates, leaving the electroweak and strong nuclear forces together. At this time, the electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces are identical, matching the conditions requested in the Grand Unification Theory.

The Inflationary Epoch $\left({10}^{-36}\to {10}^{-32}s\right)$ —The separation of the strong nuclear force from the electroweak force during this time is thought to have been responsible for the massive inflation of the universe. Corresponding to the steep diagonal line on the left side of Figure_23_03_Timeline, the universe may have expanded by a factor of ${10}^{50}$ or more in size. In fact, the expansion was so great during this time that it actually occurred faster than the speed of light! Unfortunately, there is little hope that we may be able to test the inflationary scenario directly since it occurs at energies near ${10}^{14}$ GeV, vastly greater than the limits of modern accelerators.

The Electroweak Epoch $\left({10}^{\mathrm{-32}}\to {10}^{\mathrm{-11}}s\right)$ —Now separated from both gravity and the strong nuclear force, the electroweak force exists as a singular force during this time period. As stated earlier, scientists are able to create the energies at this stage in the universe’s expansion, needing only 100 GeV, as shown in Figure_23_03_GUT. W and Z bosons, as well as the Higgs boson, are released during this time.

The Quark Era $\left({10}^{\mathrm{-11}}\to {10}^{\mathrm{-6}}s\right)$ —During the Quark Era, the universe has expanded and temperatures have decreased to the point at which all four fundamental forces have separated. Additionally, quarks began to take form as energies decreased.

As the universe expanded, further eras took place, allowing for the existence of hadrons, leptons, and photons, the fundamental particles of the standard model. Eventually, in nucleosynthesis, nuclei would be able to form, and the basic building blocks of atomic matter could take place. Using particle accelerators, we are very much working backwards in an attempt to understand the universe. It is encouraging to see that the macroscopic conditions of the Big Bang align nicely with our submicroscopic particle theory.

Check Your Understanding

Section Summary

• Attempts to show unification of the four forces are called Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) and have been partially successful, with connections proven between EM and weak forces in electroweak theory.
• Unification of the strong force is expected at such high energies that it cannot be directly tested, but it may have observable consequences in the as-yet-unobserved decay of the proton. Although unification of forces is generally anticipated, much remains to be done to prove its validity.

Concept Items

Critical Thinking

Test Prep Multiple Choice

Test Prep Short Answer

Performance Task

Test Prep Extended Response

Glossary

Big Bang

a gigantic explosion that threw out matter a few billion years ago

Electroweak Epoch

the stage before 10⁻¹¹ back to 10⁻³⁴ seconds after the Big Bang

electroweak theory

theory showing connections between EM and weak forces

Grand Unification Epoch

the time period from 10⁻⁴³ to 10⁻³⁴ seconds after the Big Bang, when Grand Unification Theory, in which all forces except gravity are identical, governed the universe

Grand Unified Theory

theory that shows unification of the strong and electroweak forces

Inflationary Epoch

the rapid expansion of the universe by an incredible factor of 10⁻⁵⁰ for the brief time from 10⁻³⁵ to about 10⁻³² seconds

Planck Epoch

the earliest era of the universe, before 10^–43 seconds after the Big Bang

Quark Era

the time period from 10^–11 to 10^–6 seconds at which all four fundamental forces are separated and quarks begin to exit

superforce

the unification of all four fundamental forces into one force

Theory of Everything

the theory that shows unification of all four fundamental forces