Skill: Developing Models

Mean Lifetime Part 1: Dice

Rolling dice serves as the model for decaying particles.

Mapping the Poles

Students explore some basics of magnetic fields that can be related to experimental particle physics.

Making it ‘Round the Bend - Quantitative

Students measure the effects of electric and magnetic fields on particles. 

Shuffling the Particle Deck

Teams of students organize cards depicting fundamental particles based on their characteristics. This activity is a foundation for learning about the Standard Model and parallels the methods used by scientists to organize the elements into the period table.

ATLAS Data Express

ATLAS Data Express is a short investigation in which students inspect and characterize Z events in the LHC and distinguish muons from electrons.

Dice, Histograms & Probability

Students roll dice, record the resulting individual values as well as the sum of the values, create histograms of the data and develop insight into the concept of “degrees of freedom." 

TOTEM 2

Use quantum physics and LHC data to estimate the size of the proton.

CMS Data Express

CMS Data Express is a short investigation in which students inspect and characterize W or Z events from the LHC.

Mass of U.S. Pennies

Students create and interpret a histogram of penny masses.

Rolling with Rutherford

Students use statistics to make an indirect measurement they can easily confirm.