high-energy physics

2 definitions found

high-energy physics - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  High-energy physics \High`-en"er*gy phys`ics\, n.
     the branch of particle physics which studies collisions of
     particles accelerated to such high energy that new
     fundamental particles are generated in the process. The
     creation of new particles of very high energy is required to
     permit the study of the most fundamental relations between
     forms of matter, so as to understand the fundamental nature
     of matter. The high energies also reproduce the
     high-temperature conditions at the earliest phase of the big
     bang, allowing generation of some data relevant to
     understanding the nature and evolution of the universe.
     [PJC]

high-energy physics - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  high-energy physics
      n 1: the branch of physics that studies subatomic particles and
           their interactions [syn: particle physics, high-energy physics
           , high energy physics]