Pion Detection: Finding a Film for Interference Experiment

In summary: Do your research and put together a proposal that is well thought out, and has a plan for how to actually execute it. In summary, a student is asking for suggestions for an experiment proposal. They say that they are thinking of doing a double-slit experiment with pions, but they need help with the research. The advice given is to do your own research, to look at previous successful proposals, and to have a plan for how to actually execute the experiment.
  • #1
khelzor
1
0
I'm a student in high school asking for suggestions for an experiment proposal.
So far, our idea has been to recreate Young's interference experiment, but instead of using electrons, we will use a heavier particle. Charged pions have been the first choice so far. Aluminum is the current delegate for the material used to direct pions into the slits. Right now, we are searching for a film to be used to detect the interference patterns made by the pions.
Are there any materials available to detect pions?

If anyone can also answer if pion decay would become a major problem in our experiment, it would be a great help :) Thanks
 
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  • #2
A double-slit experiment with pions? What do you want to use as slit? Did you calculate how slow the pions have to be to see an interference pattern with any reasonable slit width? Where do you expect to get the slow pions from?
khelzor said:
Are there any materials available to detect pions?
Yes, but you are starting with the completely wrong step.
 
  • #3
If there is a test you can perform in 5 minutes that can show you if your idea is feasible, do it directly. Don't spend hours on some details if this simple test can show you that further work is pointless.

CERN has a pion source, yes: a source of fast pions. Calculate their de-Broglie wavelength, then see which slit diameter you'll need for interference. Compare this to the diameter of an atom, or the diameter of an atomic nucleus.
 
  • #4
mfb said:
If there is a test you can perform in 5 minutes that can show you if your idea is feasible, do it directly.

This is very good advice.

If you want to win this competition, you are going to have to significantly up your game. You're going to have to do your own research, not simply ask a bunch of people on the internet. And you're not even using the internet effectively. This experiment shows interference. If you Google "pion interference" you will get hundreds of hits. Some will be quite technical, but you are asking for a very valuable resource - the custodians of that resource will expect you to do your homework on this.

You should take a look at previous successful proposals. That's wwhat you need to do.
 

1. How does pion detection work?

Pion detection involves using a film, typically made of emulsion, to capture the tracks of charged particles, such as pions. When a charged particle passes through the emulsion, it causes ionization of the atoms in the film, leaving behind tracks that can be developed and analyzed to determine the properties of the particle.

2. What is the interference experiment used for?

The interference experiment using pion detection is used to study the properties of pions, including their mass, energy, and interactions with other particles. It can also be used to test theories, such as quantum mechanics, and to study the behavior of other particles that may be produced in the same interactions.

3. What type of film is best for pion detection?

The most commonly used film for pion detection is called nuclear emulsion. It is made of a gelatin emulsion containing silver halide crystals, which are sensitive to ionization caused by charged particles. Other types of film, such as bubble chambers and cloud chambers, can also be used for pion detection.

4. How do you analyze the tracks captured on the film?

The tracks captured on the film can be analyzed using specialized software or by manually measuring the angles and positions of the tracks. By analyzing the properties of the tracks, scientists can determine the energy, mass, and other characteristics of the detected pions.

5. What are the challenges of pion detection?

Pion detection can be challenging due to the short lifetime of pions (around 26 nanoseconds) and their tendency to decay into other particles. This means that they must be detected and analyzed quickly before they disappear. Additionally, background radiation can interfere with the detection of pion tracks, making it important to carefully shield and control the environment during the experiment.

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