SST 2024: Session 6 Links, Materials, Assignment
Cosmology and dark matter
July 30, 2024
7:30pm - 9:30pm Eastern time
Learning objectives:
In this lecture, we will discuss the evidence for dark matter and the different ways scientists are studying it. We will end the course with a discussion of what’s next in particle physics and why particle physics is worth doing.
The slides can be found here.
A recording can be found here.
The chat transcript can be found here.
Please fill out the course feedback form and the final weekly course survey! Both links were sent via email.
Homework assignment (due July 30):
A. Read the dark matter primer and do activities 2 and 4 from the Perimeter Institute’s dark matter lesson (sent via email). In this lesson, you will use Newton’s Law of Gravity to predict rotational speeds and compare to observational data of the mass of galaxies and the speed of orbiting stars.
The full lesson (including other demos, activities, answer keys, and a 30 minute introductory video on dark matter) is available for download at https://resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/collections/senior-high-gr-11-12/products/the-mystery-of-dark-matter?variant=17146201478
B. Fill out the weekly course survey (link sent via email). Note that this step is required every week in order to self-report the number of hours spent so we can give you professional development credit.
The homework should take approximately one hour to complete. If you finish before one hour, then feel free to explore the additional resources below. If you cannot finish the assignment in one hour, then feel free to stop halfway through.
Additional resources
Muon anomalies:
Muon experiments at Fermilab: https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/the-stories-a-muon-could-tell
Dark matter:
- Physics Girl YouTube video on dark matter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCwWxrx1SIU
What dark matter probably is not: https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/what-dark-matter-is-probably-not
Dark matter 101: https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/what-we-know-about-dark-matter
Perimeter Institute’s lesson on dark matter: https://resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/collections/senior-high-gr-11-12/products/the-mystery-of-dark-matter?variant=17146201478
Gizmodo article "Why believe in dark matter?": https://gizmodo.com/ask-a-physicist-why-believe-in-dark-matter-5528758
Next generation dark matter experiments: https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/scaling-up-the-dark-matter-search?language_content_entity=und
Modified Newtonian dynamics (an alternative to dark matter):
Good news for the theory: https://www.quantamagazine.org/modified-gravity-theory-passes-a-critical-test-20200728
Bad news for the theory: https://bigthink.com/hard-science/dark-matter-alternative-modified-newtonian-dynamics-ruled-out/