1. The Standard Model of Particle Physics Overview The Standard Model (SM) is the prevailing theory describing the fundamental particles and their interactions, except for gravity. It encompasses three of the four known fundamental forces: electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions. Components Elementary Particles: The SM classifies all known elementary particles into two groups: fermions (matter particles) and bosons (force carriers). Fermions: Quarks and leptons, including electrons, neutrinos, and their heavier cousins. Bosons: Gauge bosons, which mediate the forces: photons (electromagnetic force), W and Z bosons (weak force), and gluons (strong force). Higgs Boson: Discovered in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), it provides mass to other particles through the Higgs mechanism. Empirical Proof Electroweak Theory: Unifies electromagnetic and weak forces. Its predictions, like the existence of W and Z bosons, were confirmed experimentally. Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD): Desc...