What is a photon? - symmetry magazine
WEBWhat physicists refer to as photons, other people might just call light. As quanta of light, photons are the smallest possible packets of electromagnetic energy. If you are reading this article on a screen or a page, streams of photons are carrying the images of the words to your eyes. In science, photons are used for more than just illumination.
The deconstructed Standard Model equation - symmetry magazine
WEBThe deconstructed Standard Model equation. 07/28/16. By Rashmi Shivni. The Standard Model is far more than elementary particles arranged in a table. The Standard Model of particle physics is often visualized as a table, similar to the periodic table of elements, and used to describe particle properties, such as mass, charge and spin.
The Planck scale - symmetry magazine
WEBSep 24, 2024 · The Planck scale. 05/19/16. By Rashmi Shivni. The Planck scale sets the universe’s minimum limit, beyond which the laws of physics break. In the late 1890s, physicist Max Planck proposed a set of units to simplify the expression of physics laws. Using just five constants in nature (including the speed of …
symmetry magazine | dimensions of particle physics
WEBAug 20, 2024 · About 2,200 people took part in hands-on science activities, performances, lectures and exhibits at Sanford Underground Research Facility's Neutrino Day celebration this year. Symmetry is an online magazine about particle physics and its connections to other aspects of life and science, from interdisciplinary collaborations to policy to culture.
How blue-sky research shapes the future | symmetry magazine
WEBBasic (or “blue-sky”) research is distinct from applied research, which is targeted toward developing or advancing technologies to solve a specific problem or to create a new product. But the two are deeply connected. “Applied research is exploring the continents you know, whereas basic research is setting off in a ship and seeing where ...
The art of back-of-the-envelope calculations - symmetry magazine
WEBThe art of back-of-the-envelope calculations. Students estimate their way through pop culture problems to learn a life skill. Scientists of all stripes are known for an ability to grab the nearest scrap of paper and scribble out a quick calculation to check if they’re on the right track. Among physicists, these “back-of-the-envelope ...
The Standard Model of Particle Physics | symmetry magazine
WEBThe Standard Model is a kind of periodic table of the elements for particle physics. But instead of listing the chemical elements, it lists the fundamental particles that make up the atoms that make up the chemical elements, along with any other particles that cannot be broken down into any smaller pieces. The complete Standard Model took a ...
What is the electroweak force? - symmetry magazine
WEBNov 30, 2023 · One force, divisible. Physicists use equations of motion to describe how matter and force particles interact, painting a picture of their likely movements and behavior. The electromagnetic force, the weak force, and their corresponding particles can all be described by what are known as gauge theories, mathematical tools that physicists use to ...
Particle physics for preschoolers | symmetry magazine
WEBDec 19, 2019 · Particle physics for preschoolers. Particle physics might seem too complex for young children, but educators are finding enthusiasm and understanding even among the Sesame Street set. Jason Heeris, a physicist and signal-processing engineer in southeastern Australia, went semiviral in mid-September 2019 for a …
How to make a discovery - symmetry magazine
WEBHow to make a discovery. 03/28/17. By Ali Sundermier. Particle physics is a dance between theory and experiment. Meenakshi Narain, a professor of physics at Brown University, remembers working on the DZero experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago in the winter of 1994. She would bring blankets up to her fifth-floor ...