Modern Physics

the week of February 8 - 12


this week's readings

    Monday,  Feb 8              Read Essay on finding the Mass of the top quark;
                                        pick up lab instructions and color-data sheet and
                                        read for class

      (which was really a Tuesday)
 

   Thursday, Feb 11            Read "Particle Accelerators" by Robert Wilson from
                                        Scientific American April 1957 through
                                            "Russian contributions"
                                        in class we dealt with
                                            a) need for synchrotrons and synchrocyclotrons
                                            b) why protons (and not electrons) were used in cyclotrons
 

    Friday, Feb 12                read section 15(7) on how we make particles
                                        re-read "Particle Accelerators" article for answer to (d) below

                                        in class we dealt with
                                            c) strong focussing by quadrupole magnets
                                            d) why we use protons (not electrons) in highest energy synchrotrons
                                            e) particle detectors:  bubble chambers
 
 


this week's assignments




    Wednesday, Feb 10        due by 5 pm: mass of top quark lab write-up

    Thursday, Feb 11            bring to class:  two solutions to the problem caused
                                            by the relativistic increase in mass in cyclotrons
 

    Friday, Feb 12                bring (if not finished in previous class):
                                            a) solution for M(final particle created) in
                                                    fixed target vs colliding beam accelerators
                                            b) why protons (not electrons) are used in synchrotrons
 
 


links of the week