Popular Science Lab #7: Fundamental Physics

Name:

(0) Were you present in class for this class session? If not, please briefly note why you

were absent and what you did to engage with the class session in spite of not being

present in-person (e.g., did you complete specific readings, talk with someone you know

in the class, etc.?).

(1) You will be assigned one of the following sets of topics to work through as an

individual:

1. Hadrons and leptons

Matter and antimatter

Families of subatomic particles

2. Quarks and strong force

Standard model (of particle physics)

Unification of forces, grand unified theory and theory of everything

3. String theory

M theory

Extra dimensions

Consider Paul Davies and (if applicable) Brian Greenes treatment of your assigned

topics, and try to understand them as deeply as possible: what the terms mean, what they

tell us about fundamental physics, and how they connect with the big picture of what

matter is made of and how it behaves. Write down some relevant information about each

of the three topics you were assigned.

[If you were not in class, please select two sets of topics to discuss, a total of six topics.]

Requirements: as needed

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