QuarkNet 2008

QuarkNet introduces you to particle physics and everything else that comes with it. Particle physics is a field of research that studies the basic building blocks of matter. We will cover modern physics aspects that relevant to the understanding of particle physics in a hands on fashion. A cloud chamber will be used to detect particles produced by cosmic rays and a video camera will register events for later analysis. We will also use scintillators to detect and experiment with cosmic rays. The hands on classes will be complemented by short lectures on Modern Physics, Nuclear Physics and the Standard Model. Daily activities will be recorded electronically using a WIKI, and some lectures will incorporate videoconference technology. A one afternoon tour of BNL will take place during the workshop. Few afternoons will be dedicated to demonstrations.

Participants are encouraged to bring Laptops and digital cameras!!

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Specifics

The workshop duration is 5 days (9 AM – 5:00 PM) plus one follow up Saturday. It is open to teachers who would like to learn more about hands on Modern Physics.

• Instructors: Helio Takai and Harry Stuckey.

• Contact Hours: 45h (with follow up Saturday)

• Credits: First Time QuarkNet participants are eligible to Aurora University graduate credits.

• Public: Physics Teachers, Chemistry Teachers and Science Teachers, limited to 15 participants

• Location: Nuclear Structure Laboratory, Physics Department, Stony Brook University.

Topics

• Short Lectures (with discussion) - Modern Physics, Nuclear Physics, Standard Model, Cosmic rays.
• Brownian Motion, Photoelectric Effect, Electricity and Magnetism.
• Techniques - Cloud Chamber and Scintillation counters.
• Data Collection - Video Recorder and editing Software.
• CyberStuff – WIKI creation, video conferencing.
• Data Analysis - Using Excel for data analysis.
• Demonstrations: Diamagnetism with Cherry Tomatoes, Coupled Pendula, Liquid Nitrogen.

Resources and Links

• QuarkNet 2006 and QuarkNet 2007 workshops
• How To Wiki
• DataPoint Software
• Audacity sound editor
• Ligase Excel Workshop by John Hover
• How to Fit using Excel by Tara Falcone
• Tell us who you are A Crash Course in Wiki

Contact Information

• Registration:
  • Fill the Registration Form and send it to Mrs. Judy Nimmo.
  • Contact Mrs. Judy Nimmo at LIGASE (jnimmo-AT-notes.cc.sunysb.edu)

• For information : contact Dr. Helio Takai via email (takai-AT-bnl.gov)

Workshop Schedule

Monday

• Welcome - Introductory remarks and goals of the workshop, by Helio
• Cyber Infrastructure - Review of tools to be used in the workshop - Wiki and Excel. The Excel practice execise information is here.
• The sound card oscilloscope - what is it? how to use - download it here.
• Speed of Sound Laboratory - We will assemble a stereo microphone and learn how to measure the speed of sound. The device you will assemble will permit measurements of speed of sound. Follow these instructions to measure the speed of sound.

Download Media:speedofsound.doc then rename to speedofsound.wav

Tuesday

• Morning
• Gravitation
  • Using the same setup as for the speed of sound we will determine the acceleration of gravity using a pendulum and a telephone pickup coil as a sensor. The same setup can be used to listen to your magnet, for example in the demonstration of Lenz's law.
• Afternoon
• Planck's Constant
  • Discussion of Photoelectric Effect
  • Start Assembly setup for measurement of Planck's constant

Wednesday

• Planck's constant
  • Measuring Planck's constant
  • Discussion on semi-conductors, demo of band gap change as function of temperature, energy levels in semiconductors.
• Afternoon
  • Presentation: Where Computers Started, by Sean McCorkle, BNL Biology Department.
  • Fluorescence. We will setup an experiment where different oils will be excited by a green laser (used as a pointer) to study the problem of fluorescence. Different oils fluoresce because of different content of chlorophyll. To analyze data we will use imaging software to coarsely examine the presence of chlorophyll in each sample.

Thursday

• Theme of the day: Particle Physics
  • Demo on brownian motion
  • Cloud chamber, setup and demo. Record events and interpret them.
  • Discussion of elementary particles and the Standard Model.
• Picnic Lunch on the plaza.
  • Presentations:
    • "The Perfect Fluid" - Tom Hemmick
    • The ATLAS experiment and the search for the Higgs - Helio
  • Group Discussion - Particle Physics, Education and Outreach
  • Hadron Hold'em tournament. Using a specially designed card deck you will participate in the hadron hold'em tournament.

Friday

• Detecting and Measuring Cosmic Rays
  • Assemble the detectors
• Quarknet lunch at Jasmine's
• Afternoon:
  • Use the detectors for measurements

QuarkNet e-Lab