Particle Physics Activity Questions

The following questions refer to various activities, which are presented in the form of investigative experiments. As you work through each experiment, keep a complete set of lab notes (what you are doing and what you are finding) and submit your notes with a brief summary report of your work.

1. Review some of the photos under ‘Task One’ in the Bubble Chamber activity. Then answer the questions in ‘Task Two’ (in your own words and without looking at the answers!).

2. Complete the muon lifetime experiment.

3. Do either ‘X ray spectra’ (identify at least one of the unknowns) or ‘Measuring half life’ (calculate the half life of one of the given isoptopes).

4. Complete Activities One through Five in the ‘Simulated Cosmic Ray Detection Experiment’.

5. Complete the ‘Photo Multiplier Tube’ experiment.

6. Complete the ‘Lasers’ activity. Explain how quantum mechanics limits the meaning of the term monochromatic. Distinguish between spatical coherence and temporal coherence. Then complete the experiment ‘measuring the wavelength of a laser with a ruler.’

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