“Who ordered that?!”

1. “Who ordered that?!” - I.I. Rabi (1936) An Introduction to Particle Physics Lora K. Hine Educational Outreach Coordinator

2. 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

3. Particle Physics at Wilson LaboratoryCornell University

4. 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? • Neutron and electrons • Protons and electrons • 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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/

9. 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

10. Why study this stuff? • Lots and lots of unknowns……. www.research.vt.edu/.../ sciencecol/Asymmetry.jpg

11. The Moment of Creation – the Big Bang Time: 1x10-43 seconds Temperature: 1 x 1019 GeV 1 GeV = 1013 0K What happened before then? The Theory of Everything…..