What the Standard Model's particle content is — 6 quarks, 6 leptons, 4 gauge bosons, 1 Higgs

How many types of fundamental forces are represented in the Standard Model of particle physics and which gauge bosons mediate each of these forces?

Four fundamental forces: electromagnetic (photon), weak (W and Z bosons), strong (gluons), gravity (graviton, not yet confirmed)

Which gauge symmetry underlies the unification of the electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces at high energies, and how does it manifest in the Standard Model?

SU(2)xSU(3) gauge symmetry unifies forces in the Standard Model, manifesting as weak and strong interactions

What dark matter candidates include — WIMPs, axions, sterile neutrinos, primordial black holes

Dark matter candidates: WIMPs, axions, sterile neutrinos, primordial black holes

What the Higgs field does — permeates all space, gives mass to fundamental particles through coupling

The Higgs field permeates space, endowing particles with mass via interaction

How the Higgs mechanism works — spontaneous breaking of electroweak symmetry gives W and Z bosons their mass

Higgs field's non-zero vacuum expectation value breaks symmetry, endowing W and Z bosons with mass

What QCD (quantum chromodynamics) describes — the strong force between quarks mediated by gluons

QCD describes the strong force interactions between quarks via gluon exchange