Discussion topic in physics for high school students

[martin_blckrs]

Hi,

I'm currently one of the organizers of a seminar for talented high school students in my home town and one my task for the next session is to give a brief talk on some interesting subject in (theoretical) physics, with a discussion afterwards, where the students will participate. It should be on some interresting topic which is accessible to high school students, so they would be able to express their oppinion in the discussion.

The topics that I thought about so far were global warming, nuclear energy, renewable energy sources, ... but I find these topics to be a little bit cliche and also are not exactly what my research is about (high energy physics). So do you guys have some interresting ideas for an interresting topic in (theoretical) physics that would be good for such a discussion? Can be also something really philosophical...


(P.S. I hope this is the right subforum, if not please redirect this thread to a more suitable one)

[Ygggdrasil]

How about a talk about the research going on at the LHC, then a discussion afterward about the future of that field (what happens if the LHC finds the Higgs? if it doesn't?) as well as discussions about whether the project was worth the time and effort and the roles of "big science" (like the LHC) versus "little science."

[thrill3rnit3]

You can do a lecture on elementary stuff about particle physics. Since they are "talented high school students", they should at least be able to follow what you're trying to say.

[ZapperZ]

What about this topic:

"Is Physics the LHC, or the iPod (http://timesonline.typepad.com/science/2009/09/future-of-physics-the-ipod-or-the-lhc.html)?"

Zz.

[Pinu7]

As a highschooler myself as well as having several scientifically minded high school friends, the theoretical stuff about physics is more interesting than the applications( of course the applications should be discussed).

Provided, I am not telling you to teach the mathematical intricacies of Wilson fermions, but qualitative topics such as

Special and General Relativity
Determinism and Quantum theory
Particle Physics and
Quantum Gravity

[flyingpig]

I say (I know this is very low..) take some stuff from Michio Kaku'z "Physics of the Impossible" topics and discuss them.