Why do so many people think that the electromagnetic and the weak interaction have been unified? They have not. The two interactions mix, because the W boson is charged. But they are not unified. The two interactions still have two unrelated coupling constants.
Yes, the coupling constants are related via the W and Z masses. But the argument remains: the two interactions are not unified in the standard model.
It is wrong to say that there is an "electroweak" interaction. There is no such thing. The mistake is found everywhere: in books, in textbooks, in Wikipedia, in the announcement of the Nobel committee, and in blogs.
People do not think. They were told so and they trust it. You are right, of course.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but shouldn't the Nobel committee be different?
ReplyDelete