The Unified Field

Theories of
Balsant Shivanand Tiwari
(PHY399A Student)

Physics (History &

 Why do we need a single
unified field theory?
History: From Maxwell to

Einstein
Einstein-Schrodinger Theory

Other attempts

current status

Conclusion
Why Do we need a
single theory?
Everyones goal is a theory
of everything, an economic,
simple theory that works at
all energies, at all scales, for
all time.
Why Do we need a
single theory?
A single theory is more beautiful than many
theories
All the laws should be part of a single pattern.
varied forces merge into one force at a high
enough energy
The early phases of the universe: only one
force is thought to have been active effective.
 History: From Maxwell to
Einstein
First successful classical unified field theory: Maxwell
unified (Electric + Magnetic) fields as one
Electromagnetic in his 1864 famous paper.
After Einstein finished his first article on the unified
field theory in 1922, despite criticism he spent much
of the second half of his life pursuing the development
of the unified field theory.
Einstein was convinced such a
basic harmony and simplicity
existed in nature,
he kept his chin up,
went ahead along his own road.
 More about Einstein
Because Einstein was apart
from the mainstream of physical
research - quantum field theory,
he was very lone in his old age,
but he was fearless.

He still prepared to keep on his mathematical

calculation
of unified field theory on his sick bed until the day
before his death.
 Einstein-Schrodinger Theory
Gravitation + Electromagnetism : common metr
(symmetric part) (anti-symmetric part) tensor

M Q
L moment B-moment
V(gravitational) V(electrical)
Both have stress energy tensor
g E
Gravito-magnetic Magnetic-field
field
 Drawbacks of Einstein-
Schrodinger unification
Low field strength : correctly describe
But at Higher field strength :

The analogy breaks down because

. Non-linear field effects set in
. Coupling takes place between the two
fields
Thus, the theory achieved an approximate
mathematical unification, but no real physical
unification of electromagnetism and gravity.
 Other Attempts
Gauge Theories (around 1920)
Electro-weak theory(around 1960)
Higgs Mechanism and Standard Model
Grand Unified theories
GeorgiGlashow model
KaluzaKlein theory
 Whats meant by a
gauge theory?
A theory described by a Lagrangian
having local symmetry properties
(Invariant under local transformations)
Associated with each gauge symmetry

is a conserved quantity and a gauge

field
[The symmetry is an internal symmetry
in most gauge theories]
Example: Electromagnetism
trouble: Schroedinger
equation [physics]
depends on local phase
 covariant derivative

the x-component of the gauge field A

Maxwells electromagnetic field appears due

to the gauge invariance principle
 Three distinct gauge
theories
Electroweak Color gauge General
gauge theory relativity
theory gauge
theory

?
 Electroweak theory
SU(3) * U(1) symmetry group that
breaks down at energies lower
than (80 GeV) to electromagnetic
and weak forces.

Symmetry breaking is provided

through the (persumed) Higgs field
 Spontaneous Symmetry
Breaking
The laws of physics are symmetric
but the state of the system is not .

[ Symmetry is hidden, not broken.]

Classical Example:
Equations of motion are not
symmetric in horizontal and vertical
directions by the background
gravitational filed
 Consequences of SSB
Iso-spin symmetry breaking in the
masses between members of the
same iso-spin multiplet.
In Electroweak theory:
Mw,Mz >>0

Massive gauge quanta are possible

when gauge symmetry is broken!
 Superconducting
analogy
The alignment of the phases creates an ordered
rigid structures giving rise to rejection of the
electro-magnetic field (Meissner effect).

The photons become massive

What mechanism causes the phase

alignment in the SU(2)xU(1) internal
space???
 Higgs Field and
symmetry breaking
Space is supposed to be filled by a hypothetical
background field permuting all the space.
Particles acquire momentum (mass) by
interacting with this field.
[The distortion - the clustering of the field
around the particle - generates the particle's
mass.]
Particles that interact strongly with the Higgs
field are heavy, while those that interact
weakly are light.
Whats missing in the
standard model?
Why four forces?
Charge is quantized while mass is
not!
Why is the electrons charge equal
to the protons charge?
What about gravity?
Electroweak is not unified with the
strong force !!
Why so many constants ?
Where is the Higgs Boson?
 Grand Unified theory
(GUT)
An intermediate step towards a single
unified theory
Combines Electroweak with strong force
Six leptons related to six quarks
Its Lagrangian should be symmetric
under a symmetry group that contains
SU(2) * U(1), SU(3) as subgroups
A possible candidate: SU(5)
 SU(5) Georgi-Glashow
Model
Incorporates the known fermions into
multiplets (leptons and quarks).
Quark and leptons can transform to
each other through X,Y bosons.
Baryon number not conserved (e.g
proton decay)
the first Grand Unified Theory, which
would have observable effects for
energies much above 100 GeV.
 Kaluza-Klein theory
Added one extra spatial
dimension to our conventional
space-time.

Introduced 5-D metric tensor ,

which can be decomposed into
two parts
 Conclusion
current Status : Combine General relativity
with Quantum Field Theory
Quantum Gravity , String theory and M-
theory, Loop Quantum Gravity.
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Fundamental one energy / interaction of which
all the others are but manifestations.
Thank You!

Questions?
Really?