Feynman diagrams are a pictorial representation of the mathematical expressions describing the behavior and interaction of subatomic particles in quantum field theory. They were introduced by physicist Richard Feynman and serve as a useful tool for visualizing complex interactions in particle physics. Each diagram consists of lines representing particles: straight lines typically denote fermions (such as electrons), while wavy or dashed lines represent bosons (such as photons or gluons).
The vertices where lines meet correspond to interaction points, illustrating how particles exchange forces and transform into one another. The rules for constructing these diagrams are governed by specific quantum field theory principles, allowing physicists to calculate probabilities for various particle interactions using perturbation theory. In essence, Feynman diagrams simplify the intricate calculations involved in quantum mechanics and enhance our understanding of fundamental forces in the universe.
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