What is Yang-Mills theory in quantum physics?

Yang-Mills theory is a type of quantum field theory based on non-abelian Lie groups that seeks to describe the behavior of elementary particles. Devised by Chen Ning Yang and Robert Mills in 1953, it serves as the core foundation for the Standard Model of particle physics, unifying electromagnetic and weak forces while also describing the strong force through quantum chromodynamics.

What we know

• Yang-Mills theory was devised by Chen Ning Yang and Robert Mills in 1953 as a quantum field theory for nuclear binding. [2]
• The theory is a gauge model based on a special unitary group or any compact Lie group, specifically using non-abelian Lie groups. [1, 2]
• Yang-Mills theory forms the basis of the Standard Model by unifying the electromagnetic and weak forces and describing quantum chromodynamics. [2]

Where to go next

• the bigger pictureWhat is the Standard Model of particle physics?
• how it workedHow do non-abelian groups generalize electrodynamics?
• whoWho were Chen Ning Yang and Robert Mills?
• a case in pointHow does topological quantum field theory compute invariants?
• compared withWhy has gravity proven difficult to unify with quantum field theory?
• an unexpected connectionHow do quantum field theories apply to curved spacetime and black holes?Quantum field theories usually operate in flat spaces, yet extending them to curved spacetimes predicts phenomena like Hawking radiation from black holes.

Sources

• [1]Yang–Mills theory (Wikidata Q1192873) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Yang–Mills theory · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Topological quantum field theory · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Quantum gravity · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Quantum field theory in curved spacetime · CC BY-SA 4.0