UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 88
The efforts to detect the existence of Higgs boson particle have become frequent news in the recent past. What is/are the importance/importances of discovering this particle?
- It will enable us to understand as to why elementary particles have mass.
- It will enable us in the near future to develop the technology of transferring matter from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them.
- It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear fission.
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Correct Option: A
Explanation: The Higgs boson’s discovery supports the Higgs mechanism explaining how elementary particles such as W and Z bosons acquire mass; it does not enable teleportation or fission-fuel innovation.
Statement/Pair-wise Analysis:
Statement/Item 1: Correct - Observation of the Higgs boson supports the mechanism behind elementary-particle masses in the Standard Model.
Statement/Item 2: Incorrect - It does not imply technology for moving macroscopic matter instantaneously without traversing space.
Statement/Item 3: Incorrect - The Higgs discovery does not directly create improved fuels for nuclear fission.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Correct - selects all and only the accurate statements/pairs.
B: Incorrect - includes false items 2, 3 and excludes true item 1.
C: Incorrect - includes false item 3.
D: Incorrect - includes false items 2, 3.
Review Note: Higgs interactions account for masses of elementary particles but most proton/neutron mass comes from QCD binding energy; statement 1 is an introductory simplification.