Electroweak interactions: an introduction to the physics of quarks and leptons/ Peter Renton

Includes bibliography and index

This book offers a comprehensive exposition of the unification of electromagnetic and weak forces within the framework of the Standard Model of particle physics. The book begins with the phenomenology of weak interactions and develops the theoretical foundations of gauge theories, spontaneous symmetry breaking, and the Higgs mechanism. Renton carefully derives the electroweak Lagrangian, explains the role of quarks and leptons, and shows how the theory predicts the properties of W and Z bosons and neutral currents. Extensive chapters are devoted to experimental tests of electroweak theory, including deep inelastic scattering, neutrino interactions, parity violation, and precision measurements from collider experiments. The text also provides an introduction to quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and discusses how the electroweak and strong interactions fit together in the broader Standard Model. Mathematical derivations are presented with physical insight, making it suitable for graduate students and researchers seeking a balanced theoretical and experimental treatment of modern particle physics.