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Introduction to Modern Physics A (mainly) historical perspective on - atomic physics - nuclear physics - particle physics
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Electron discovery 1897 | Atomic Physics | Nuclear Physics | Particle Physics STANDARD MODEL | ?? Theory of Everything ?? Start of “Modern Physics” A modest goal !
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A lesson from history!! At the end of the 19 th century… CLASSICAL PHYSICS Mechanics – Newton 1687 Electromagnetism – Maxwell 1848 Plus…a few loose ends!! = The End of Physics ??
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Then…attempt to predict Blackbody Radiation DISASTER !! Electromagnetic radiation
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Electromagnetic Radiation
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c = f Speed of light 3 x 10 8 meter/second or 30cm (1 foot) per nanosecond Wavelength (meter) Frequency #vibrations/ second
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Theories of Blackbody Radiation Classical disaster ! Quantum solution
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Planck’s “Quantum Theory” I(,T) ~ -5 / (e hc/ kT - 1) The “oscillators” in the walls can only have certain energies – NOT continuous!
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About the same time… the electron was discovered.
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So about 100 years ago people believed in the existence of “atoms”: - electron is part of an atom? - atoms emit radiation strangely? - what else is in an atom? - atoms emit electromagnetic waves?
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Then 1905 !! Einstein’s Miraculous Year - to be celebrated this year as the “Year of Physics” http://www.wyp2005.org/ http://www.einsteinyear.org/
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Example…
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The Photoelectric Effect Light = tiny particles! Wave theory: takes too long to get enough energy to eject electrons Particle theory: energy is concentrated in packets -> efficiently ejects electrons!
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An application of the photoelectric effect
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So matter contains electrons and light can be emitted in “chunks”… so what does this tell us about atoms?? Possible models of the atom Which one is correct?
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Electric potential V(r) ~ 1/r The Rutherford Experiment
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The “correct” model of the atom …but beware of simple images!
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Probability of finding electrons in a hydrogen atom Results from “quantum theory”
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Atomic “signatures” Rarefied gas Only discrete lines!
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How atomic light emmision “works” A photon!
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But why don’t all our atoms collapse??!!
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… if waves can be particles, perhaps particles can be waves… OK ! SELF DESTRUCTS! = h/mv
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Electrons as waves – an application 70 m 140 m A GEM foil
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1920’s – Full description of atomic behavior -> Quantum Mechanics Weird stuff!! Ghosts!??
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…so things get “fuzzy” at the atomic/quantum level …in fact we can no longer be certain of anything! x ~ (wavelength) p ~ h/ ( x) ( p) ~ h Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle
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On to the Nucleus – 1930’s Existence of protons – Rutherford/neutral atoms 1932 Chadwick discovers the neutron
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Note the relative scales! Atom ~ city Nucleus ~ baseball
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Nucleus X A Z Atomic mass number Atomic number Nuclide e.g. “Uranium-235” U 235 92
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A = N + Z …so normally N > Z
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“The most important graph in all of science” Why the Sun shines Why there are stable nuclei
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Why don’t nuclei fall apart?? ++ Repel Two Protons No charge +
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So there MUST be a NEW FORCE The Strong Nuclear Force “Pions” “Gluons” …more later!
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Nuclei can also decay : Alpha decay e.g. Alpha particle Beta decay: n -> p + e + Gamma decay e.g.
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Applications of Nuclear Physics Fission: Fusion: ~limitless energy ??
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Applications of Nuclear Physics MRI PET e + +e - -> 2
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Or:
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But still open questions remain… What’s inside a proton/neutron? What causes Beta decay? What other “elementary” particles exist? What other forces exist? Why is the proton mass 1800x the electron mass? Where does mass come from?
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Introduction to High Energy Physics Research (or how to chase quarks and get paid for it)
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Structure of Matter cm10 -10 m 10 -14 m 10 -15 m u <10 -18 m 10 -9 m MatterMoleculeAtomNucleusQuarkBaryon Electron <10 -19 m protons, neutrons, mesons, etc. top, bottom, charm, strange, up, down Chemistry Atomic Physics Nuclear Physics High Energy Physics Mass proton ~ 1 GeV/c 2 (Hadron) (Lepton)
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How do we DO Particle Physics Use collisions of elementary particles!
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Definition: “Study of matter and forces at the most fundamental level” Why HEP?: Investment in basic research has always returned major economic dividends. ~ 50% GNP related to “modern physics” - must keep up flow of new knowledge or economy/society will stagnate. ?
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History of Particle Physics Atomic Physics Nuclear Physics Quantum Mechanics Relativity
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Ingredients: -> discovering particles: e, p, n, … -> understanding properties of interactions: Electromagnetic: e scattering Weak nuclear: neutron decay Strong nuclear: proton-antiproton scattering (Gravity ??) -> Finding -> Combining forces: e.m. + weak +? strong +?? + gravity ??? patterns
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How do we “do” particle physics? A constant interplay of ideas/experiment Theory Phenomenology Experiment
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Electron discovery 1897 | Atomic Physics | Nuclear Physics | Particle Physics STANDARD MODEL | ?? Theory of Everything ?? Start of “Modern Physics” A modest goal !
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What do we know now (2004)?
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A question of Scales: Planck scale ~ 10 -35 Quarks 10 -19 m Nucleus ~10 -14 m Atom ~10 -10 m You ~1.5m Collider detector ~10 m Accelerator ~10 4 m
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Early Particle timeline My career starts! I am born
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The recent particle timeline Revolution! What next??
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Part of Stanford University Pacific Ocean 2-mile accelerator I280 “Junipero Sierra Freeway”
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The “Mark I” detector where the charm quark was discovered and a Nobel Prize was won
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Fermilab - Chicago
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We have seen that the Standard Model covers a wide range of phenomena – and explains them well. BUT: - no means of generating mass - matter asymmetry - dark matter - how is electroweak symmetry broken? - are quarks composite?
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Famous scientist as the Higgs
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Supersymmetry
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Do all forces become one at high energy??
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UTA and Particle Physics
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