Electroweak Phase Transition

The Electroweak Phase Transition occurred early in the universe’s history when temperatures cooled enough for forces and particles to differentiate. Initially, the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces were unified. As the universe expanded and cooled below a critical temperature, this symmetry broke, causing particles like W and Z bosons to acquire mass and allowing electromagnetic and weak interactions to become distinct. This transition shaped the universe’s fundamental structure and properties, influencing how particles behave and how matter formed. It’s a key event in the universe’s evolution, similar to how water freezes into ice but on a cosmic scale.