2016 Cosmic and CMS e-lab Workshops @ KSU

Submitted by ShaneWood
Published: | Group(s):
Kansas State University QuarkNet Center

Cosmic Ray Workshop Aug 8-10 2016

“Our mission is to create opportunities for teachers and students to explore the nature of scientific research. Using cosmic ray muon detectors, students design and perform experiments to analyze data employing the cosmic ray e-lab.”

  Learning objectives.

  • Organize data using the cosmic ray muon e-lab
  • Specify limitations and assumptions of a proposed experiment.
  • Manipulate apparatus using appropriate data acquisition equipment for calibration, characterization, and analysis of measurements.
  • Generalize from data possible sources and scale of experimental error.
  • Summarize and communicate claims, evidence and results to demonstrate the nature of scientific research.
  • Implement plans to use the cosmic ray e-lab with the classroom community.

Agenda

Monday 8 August 2016

8:30   Coffee/Intros

9-9:15 am  Brett DePaola, KSU Physics Interim Head

9:15 Assemble CRMD: assist by QN Staff

  • Cosmic Ray Muon Detector hardware components
  • Four teams build new counters
  • set up software/drivers on new computer
  • set up remaining CRMDs

10:00 Break

10:15 Finish build and set geometry

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Intro to  EQUIP

Plan study type to collect overnight data

  • Performance
  • Flux
  • Lifetime
  • Time of Flight

3:30-4:15 pm Tim Bolton: The Cloud Chamber

4:15  Reflections and discussion of the day's activities

Take Data overnight.

Tuesday 9 August 2016

8:30 Coffee/Intros(if needed)//Reflections

9:00 CR elab

Upload overnight data

  • analyze the data
  • Prepare poster for your study (Claims, Evidence, Reasoning)

10:30-noon Prof Brian Washburn has very kindly agreed to talk about light. 

Polarized Light and Lasers (Link to presentation, link to activity)

  • Polarized light is electromagnetic radiation whose wave-motion is specifically orientated in space and time.  From sunglasses to rainbows, many common things exhibit properties related to polarized light. Using hands-on activities with such things, we will investigate the properties of polarized light.  We will answer the questions of how do polarized sunglasses work, how do 3D movie glasses work, and why the light from a rainbow is polarized.  We also explain how a laser works and how it produces polarized light.

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Work on Study

3:30-4:15 pm Tim Bolton: The LHC

4:15 Reflections of the day's activities

Wednesday 10 August 2016

8:30-9:15  Coffee and review of previous day's activities

9:30 Present Posters for CR Study.

10:00 Break

10:15 Build Cloud Chambers

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Finish Cloud Chambers

4:00 Teachers bring/share classroom ideas/activities 

430 Reflections of day's activities

Tour of Laser Lab

 

CMS Objectives Aug 11-12 2016

CMS e-Lab Workshop participants will:

  • Identify particles colliding and emerging from collisions at the LHC from CMS data.
  • Interpret the physical meaning of plots created from CMS data in light of conservation rules (energy, momentum, charge).
  • Ask and answer questions about the physics of high energy collisions using CMS data. Support claims with evidence and reasoning. 
  • Develop a plan for taking students from their current level of data use to subsequent levels using activities and/or ideas from the workshop.

Thursday 11 August 2016

8:30   Coffee/Intros/Objectives

09:00     CMS Talk (Tim Bolton) ?
              LHC/CMS Video (~7.5 minutes)

10:00     Break

10:15     Intro to CMS e-Lab: A first look

  • CMS e-Lab > "metro map" (this is the "classic" CMS e-Lab site)

11:00     Level 1 Data Portfolio Activity: Mass of the Z

12:00     LUNCH

13:00     Level 2 Data Portfolio Activity: CMS Data Express

14:00     Begin Level 3 Data Portfolio Activity:
                CMS e-Lab: Z-mass plot (on "classic" CMS e-Lab site)
                Explore posters in e-Lab (on "classic" CMS e-Lab site)
                CMS e-Lab Development site (the new site)

15:00     End of day reflection/discussion   

15:30     QN Teacher Survey

16:00     End of Day

Friday 12 August 2016

08:30     Coffee, Recap, Reflect

09:00     Group work:
              CMS e-lab Investigations
              Create posters

12:00     LUNCH

13:00     Present posters
                1) Kara and Richard
                2) Gayle Anne and Penny

14:00     e-Lab user group discussion

14:30     Implementation plans

15:15     Evaluation/Looking Forward

 16:00     End of workshop

Contacts

Resources