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IIRC, the Higgs field is a scalar field (same field strength at all points of space/time), whereas the other fundamental forces are vector fields (field strengt

• tobias2014 10y ago
  It depends on the point of space-time, but at each point of space-time it is just a scalar value, unlike a vector for a vector field. Moreover in physics we classify fields by their Lorentz transformation properties/representation. So when we say scalar field we actually mean that is transforms in the "(0,0) representation" of the Lorentz group (although then it's not yet specified whether one means scalar or pseudoscalar). If it were the same at all space time points it would be a constant, and rather boring (more like a cosmological constant).
• gpderetta 10y ago
  AFAIK, in general relativity, the gravitational field is not a vector field but a tensor field. EDIT: btw, you got the scalar/vector definition wrong. A scalar field is one where each point in space can be labeled by a single scalar (not the same vale for all points), for example a temperature reading at different locations. A vector field assign a distinct vector (i.e. magnitude and direction) to each point in space, for example if you take a compass around the globe you can assign to each location the direction the compass arrow is pointing. A tensor field is of course assign a tensor to every point in space. I only have rough understanding of what a tensor is, as a first approximation it can be understood as a matrix with special properties.