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“Who ordered that?!” - I.I. Rabi (1936) An Introduction to Particle Physics Lora K. Hine Educational Outreach Coordinator Outcomes • Appreciate that particle physics is an amazing branch of study • Recognize some of the challenges involved in this field of study • Comprehend the size and scale of specific objects • Compare elementary particles to composite particles • Identify some properties of antimatter •Relate particle physics to cosmology Particle Physics at Wilson Laboratory Cornell University Let’s review a few (small) things… •Atom: the smallest component of an element, w/properties • The nucleus of an atom is made up of the following two main components? A. Neutron and electrons B. Protons and electrons C. Neutrons and protons • A proton is made up of which of the following elementary particles? A. Quarks B. Leptons C. Mesons • The Standard Model is: A. A three-dimensional representation of a quark B. The theoretical framework for particle physics C. A hypothetical description for the behavior of relativistic particles Powers of Ten – size is difficult to comprehend…. Earth = 12.76 x 10+6 = 12,760,000 meters wide (12.76 million meters) Plant Cell = 12.76 x 10-6 = 0.00001276 meters wide (12.76 millionths of a meter) “Powers of Ten” http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/ cm.bell-labs.com/.../sphere/earth.fine.jpg www.caribbeanedu.com/images/kewl/plant_cell.gif • Some new terminology.... Electrons – circle around nucleus - called Leptons Neutrons and Protons – make up nucleus - are composed Quarks Proton = three quarks up + up + down Neutron = three quarks down + down + up All of these terms are found in the framework called the Standard Model www.particleadventure.org Selected Reading The Invisible Soccer Ball The God Particle Dr. Leon Lederman Superconducting Super Collider Discussion Questions: • What sort of classification techniques were used by the Twiloans? • Describe “symmetry” and why was it an important discovery for the Twiloans? • What did the young, pipsqueak of a Twiloan postulate? • This story is an example of an extended metaphor. What is being compared? www.amarillo.com The Standard Model A set of “rules” for elementary particles and forces that provides the best theoretical framework we have for particle physics today. Periodic Table of Elements www.fnal.gov/ The Basic Ideas of the Standard Model • Simplification (particle “zoo”) and Unification of matter and forces • Complex systems few, basic entities • Both matter and forces included Matter: Quarks and Leptons Forces: 4 forces Antimatter – • Every matter particle has a corresponding antimatter particle • Same properties (mass, spin and color), opposite charge = “mirror image” Particleadventure.org Why study this stuff? • Lots and lots of unknowns……. www.research.vt.edu/.../ sciencecol/Asymmetry.jpg The Moment of Creation – the Big Bang Time: 1x10-43 seconds Temperature: 1 x 1019 GeV 0 1 GeV = 1013 K What happened before then? The Theory of Everything…..