Poll: Large Hadron Collider

[Altorin]

I was writing my research paper on the Large Hadron collider for my English composition class and no one knew what it was. My physics and calculus classes didn't fare much better I thought this was pretty big news.

Do I understand what the large Hadron Collider is? After a fashion. I know they're smashing particles together real fast, and they're hoping to discover really tiny particles after they go boom.

I think I'm on par with Simple English Wikipedia, here. I've heard of the LHC, I know they're doing science, and I know there are bosons involved.

Is this above the understanding of your peers?

the LHC just gives them the ability to know exactly where a particle is and also know it's velocity

Impossible!
Heisenberg told me so!
Though I don't remember when.

well, it is impossible, what what I mean is, they can cause it to happen. They release a particle, and make it move along a set path, with a camera somewhere on it.

quantum particles are fucked up like that. they don't like cameras.

 

[OmegaCheese]

I suppose I'll chalk this one up to another case of Americans being ignorant.

Sometimes I loathe having moved to Florida of all places in the u.s.

I was writing my research paper on the Large Hadron collider for my English composition class and no one knew what it was. My physics and calculus classes didn't fare much better I thought this was pretty big news.

I just was curious how many people actually know of it and if this is just another case of Americans being ignorant again.

And for those of you who didn't catch it, last week it collided particles for the first time at 7 TeV

Um, no this happened last year I think you'll find. In France sometime in September I believe

What I thing you are referring to is when they accelerated particles at half power last year. No collisions actually occurred then, The collisions occurred last week.

Oh, sorry could have sworn they were collided last year, my apologies

 

[d3structor]

no need to apologize, being questioned reconfirms what we know. If you want one of the statements on the test last year I can pull something up.

 

[OmegaCheese]

no need to apologize, being questioned reconfirms what we know. If you want one of the statements on the test last year I can pull something up.

No problem, it's fine

 

[Calgetorix]

I could be wrong about this, cause I read it quite a while ago, and physics is not even close to my strong point, but aren't they looking to recreate the events of the Big Bang, and also something about Dark Matter and Anti Matter... Or are those all the same thing?

Short version: Dark matter is the mass we know is in galaxies and other places but can't seem to find an explanation for (other than gravitational pull).
Anti matter is basically matter consisting of antiparticles. For instance, the positron is the antiparticle to an electron (opposite charge but otherwise the same element).

At least that's my understanding of things.

 

[la-le-lu-li-lo]

Havent seen you around in some time. Hows life?

OP: Um yes...what this young lady said.

I know, it's been quite awhile! Life is, ahh, getting better. If I extrapolated it would completely derail this thread. >_<

OT: Do people really not know what it is? Wikipedia, c'mon!!

[small]That looked legit, right?[/small]

 

[Aidinthel]

I'm an American in high school, and not only do I know what the LHC is and have a general idea that they're trying to complete the standard model of particle physics by finding the theoretical Higgs Boson particle by smashing protons together really quickly to try and mimic the Big Bang, but I also saw the news about the recent collision and was interested in learning the results. Your anecdote depresses me greatly.

 

[d3structor]

[small]not half as much as it shamed me when asked my advanced physics class mates and was met with the same reaction[/small]
but you guys restored my faith in humanity and my hatred of florida

 

[OmegaCheese]

[small]not half as much as it shamed me when asked my advanced physics class mates and was met with the same reaction[/small]
but you guys restored my faith in humanity and my hatred of florida

Yes! Australian Anti-America Terrorist force is on the.... oh dear... I just said that out loud didn't I?

 

[Aidinthel]

but you guys restored my faith in humanity and my hatred of florida

*raises glass* To Florida! May it always give us somewhere to look down on.

Mind you, I could be encouraged to say that about pretty much anywhere. I'm not bigoted at all; I hate everyone equally.

 

[klakkat]

I was writing my research paper on the Large Hadron collider for my English composition class and no one knew what it was. My physics and calculus classes didn't fare much better I thought this was pretty big news.

I just was curious how many people actually know of it and if this is just another case of Americans being ignorant again.

And for those of you who didn't catch it, last week it collided particles for the first time at 7 TeV

The english guys I can kinda understand... but the PHYSICS geeks? I think it's your civic duty to go smack around every single one of them (uh, figuratively... if this is high school, then not everyone in a physics class is necessarily a geek...)

 

[d3structor]

I was writing my research paper on the Large Hadron collider for my English composition class and no one knew what it was. My physics and calculus classes didn't fare much better I thought this was pretty big news.

I just was curious how many people actually know of it and if this is just another case of Americans being ignorant again.

And for those of you who didn't catch it, last week it collided particles for the first time at 7 TeV

The english guys I can kinda understand... but the PHYSICS geeks? I think it's your civic duty to go smack around every single one of them (uh, figuratively... if this is high school, then not everyone in a physics class is necessarily a geek...)

I considered it but then i remembered one of them builds working jet engines from scratch as a hobby so I stayed my hand (again I am in a state college, palm beach state)

 

[chuketek]

Do you know what it is?

Yes, I'm currently doing my phd there.

(Needless to say I already have a crowbar and a crossbow under my desk)

 

[d3structor]

Do you know what it is?

Yes, I'm currently doing my phd there.

(Needless to say I already have a crowbar and a crossbow under my desk)

Really? Fascinating. Anything you care to share about it?

 

[Dodgy]

First tryout didn't go very well though did it? A pity, as would be wonderful to have a machine that could FINALLY prove about 50 years of theory.

 

[Snotnarok]

People don't know what it is? I mean there were people protesting it thinking it would make a black hole, hell a girl killed herself the day before it turned on scared that it'd end the world. I thought that was big news honestly.

Here's a camera inside of the building
http://www.cyriak.co.uk/lhc/lhc-webcams.html

 

[d3structor]

People don't know what it is? I mean there were people protesting it thinking it would make a black hole, hell a girl killed herself the day before it turned on scared that it'd end the world. I thought that was big news honestly.

Here's a camera inside of the building
http://www.cyriak.co.uk/lhc/lhc-webcams.html

That was good for a chuckle, might scare some people with that link later.

 

[Snotnarok]

People don't know what it is? I mean there were people protesting it thinking it would make a black hole, hell a girl killed herself the day before it turned on scared that it'd end the world. I thought that was big news honestly.

Here's a camera inside of the building
http://www.cyriak.co.uk/lhc/lhc-webcams.html

That was good for a chuckle, might scare some people with that link later.

Only the best from Snot.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Thank the gods we finally turned the damn thing on. All the useless controversy, the delays, the annoying coverage by ignorant idiots claiming it'll open a black hole that will devour the Earth...

Someone let me know when the results are posted. I want to know if the Higgs exists.

 

[Abengoshis]

Thank the gods we finally turned the damn thing on. All the useless controversy, the delays, the annoying coverage by ignorant idiots claiming it'll open a black hole that will devour the Earth...

Someone let me know when the results are posted. I want to know if the Higgs exists.

There were some idiots even saying it would create a QUASAR IN THE EARTH. I MEAN COME ON HOW DUMB CAN YOU GET.

I've heard people claim it will make:
- Black holes/Quasars
- Wormholes
- Strangelets
- Apocalypse (Jesus returning (yes I know, even more dumb)).