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Universe_Man
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By what means do scientists detect the presence of elementary particles? How do we know what we are looking at through these means of detection?
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To detect means to establish a situation (an experiment) in which the 'elementary particle' in question interacts with the system (or particles in the system), or as BenLillie indicated, fundamental particles (electrons) or composites (e.g. protons, composites of quarks) can be collided. The result of that interaction is 'detected'.Universe_Man said:By what means do scientists detect the presence of elementary particles? How do we know what we are looking at through these means of detection?
The Standard Model answers many of the questions about the structure and stability of matter with its six types of quarks, six types of leptons, and four forces. But the Standard Model is not complete; there are still many unanswered questions.
Universe_Man said:By what means do scientists detect the presence of elementary particles? How do we know what we are looking at through these means of detection?
I have read somewhere that the principle of bubble chambers is used for "superheated droplet detectors" that are used to detect hypotetical WIMPs. Can you say something about these detectors or do you know some informative page about it? Thanks.vanesch said:*) gas detectors (the old working horse)...
I believe the principal of bubble chambers is similar to that of cloud chambers which use "supersaturation", such that the vapor condenses to liquid along the paths of the particles. In the case of superheated liquid, the particles would increase the energy so the liquid phase is transformed to vapor along the path.hellfire said:I have read somewhere that the principle of bubble chambers is used for "superheated droplet detectors" that are used to detect hypotetical WIMPs. Can you say something about these detectors or do you know some informative page about it? Thanks.
Elementary particles are the smallest units of matter that cannot be broken down into smaller parts. They are the building blocks of all matter and are classified as either fermions or bosons.
There are various methods used to detect elementary particles, including particle accelerators, particle detectors, and cosmic ray experiments. These methods involve colliding particles at high speeds and observing the resulting interactions.
Detecting and studying elementary particles allows scientists to gain a better understanding of the fundamental laws and principles that govern the universe. It also helps us understand the structure of matter and how it evolves over time.
Some examples of elementary particles include quarks, which make up protons and neutrons, electrons, which are responsible for electricity, and photons, which are particles of light. There are also many other types of elementary particles that have been discovered through scientific research.
Scientists use a variety of tools and techniques to study the properties of elementary particles, such as measuring their mass, charge, and spin. They also study how particles interact with each other and how they behave under different conditions, such as high energy collisions.