How Small Is It - 04 - Elementary Particles (1080p)

Text at Music free version In this segment of our “How small is it” video book, we introduce elementary particles. We start with a description of cosmic rays and gamma rays. They collide with atoms in the atmosphere to create a wide variety of particles. We cover how cloud chambers work to ‘see’ these new particles. That includes taking a look at the tracks for electrons and protons. We then take a look at the new particles we found on mountain tops and up in balloons: positrons, electron-positron pair creation, muons; pions; kaons; and particle decay timing and signatures. We then cover the hard to find neutrino, starting with the Ellis - Wooster experiment to measure the energy of radium decay into polonium that lead to Wolfgang Pauli’s 1927 prediction that the existence of the neutrino. We then take a look at the 1970 bubble chamber track that first detected it.