nLab
fermion

Context

Physics

physics, mathematical physics

Surveys, textbooks and lecture notes


theory (physics), model (physics)

Fields and quanta

Contents

Idea

A fermion is a particle/quantum field that obeys Fermi-Dirac statistics?. By the spin-statistics theorem, this is the same thing as a particle whose spin is half an integer but not itself an integer.

In the standard model of particle physics and the standard model of cosmology fermions are the matter constituents of the observable universe, as opposed to bosons, which are the quanta? of force gauge fields.

The formalization of fermions is in supergeometry: fermion fields are sections of spinor bundles? with odd-degree fibers in supergeometry. This is exhibited by what is called Fermi-Dirac statistics? and the Pauli exclusion principle?.

Revised on January 10, 2013 20:10:25 by Urs Schreiber (89.204.153.52)