Building the Standard Model Historical and Qualitative Aspects

TL;DR

This paper provides a qualitative and historical overview of the development of the Standard Model of particle physics, highlighting key theories and discoveries from quantum electrodynamics to the Higgs boson.

Contribution

It offers a personal, experience-based perspective on the evolution of the Standard Model, emphasizing historical context and pedagogical insights for graduate students.

Findings

Historical development of the Standard Model

Insights into quantum electrodynamics and chromodynamics

Discussion of electroweak symmetry breaking and the Higgs boson

Abstract

Without going to the details, I give a short, qualitative and historical description of the development of the Standard Model, from quantum electrodynamics, further through quantum chromodynamics, then to weak interactions with parity- and CP-violation, ending up with electroweak symmetry breaking and the Higgs boson. The presentation is based on my own experiences from the late 1960's up to the discovery of the Higgs boson. It is mainly meant for students at master level, and at some points it is presented somewhat different from standard textbook presentations.