Understanding Microcosms Matthew Anstead Logan Barmore Ryan Barton Ilona Harden

What is a Quark?

Types of Quarks

Quarks: An in-depth look Six Flavours  Building blocks of matter  Each with its own properties

Fundamental Building Blocks “Magnify a neutron or proton a thousand times and you will discern that they too have a rich internal structure. Like a swarm of bees, which seen from afar appears as a dark spot whereas a close-up view shows the cloud buzzing with energy so it is with the neutron or proton. On a low-powered image they appear like simple spots, but when viewed with a high- resolution microscope, they are found to be clusters of smaller particles called quarks.” (Olsen, 2006)

Since the dawn of time

Quark History  Existed since the dawn of time  Fundamental building block of matter  Scientists have studied since the 1940’s Did not have a theory until later  Murray Gell-Mann, George Zweig Eight Fold Way

Quark Discovery  Up Quark  Down Quark  Top Quark  Bottom Quark  Charm Quark  Strange Quark  1964  1995  1977  1968

WS EG (Weak interaction) (Strong interaction) (Electromagnetism) (Gravitation) The Fundamental Forces

Standard Model

Quark Flavours

Up & Down: Up and Down quarks make up most of the common objects we observe in our everyday lives, i.e. Protons & Neutrons. Up is positively charged with 2/3 Down is negatively charged with - 1/3 Proton = 2 Up, 1 Down Neutron = 2 Down, 1 Up

Charm & Strange Charm Strange  Charms are third most massive quark.  Charms can be found in hadrons.  The charm can only last for less than trillionth of second.  Its Electronic charge is like the up at 2/3.  Strange flavour is third lightest quark.  And it charge is -1/3.  It too is responsible for the fundamental interactions.

Top & Bottom Top Quarks:Bottom Quarks:  Spin of -1/2  Electric charge of +2/3  Largest of the known quarks with a mass index of gev/c^2.  Spin of ½  Electric charge of -1/3  A bare mass of 4,200 MeV/c^2.

Future:  There is much more research needed to concretely prove the existence of quarks.  Questions to answer: Exactly how does a quark acquire mass? Are Higgs boson even a valid theory why and how matter has mass?  Note: Higgs boson has yet to be detected, if it proves to be wrong Technicolor Theory would have more prevalence.

 Back to quarks: It’s all to obvious that new discoveries create new questions.  New and highly advanced technology is required.  A quark has yet to be isolated. Too small for any telescope to see & the rapid decay (extremely short life span) would make it difficult to study even when isolated.

What does that mean for you?  If your hoping to be an advanced physicist knowledge of quarks (and bosons) are a definitive must.  Jobs available in this field, and are expected to keep growing. (40 research teams all over the world deal with the understanding of quarks)  But everyone isn’t going to want this career…

Realistically  Energy usage, nuclear.  Manipulation of matter on a subatomic level.  New understanding means new technology.  We could do many things with the understanding of quarks, but we need to fully understand them first.

Fantasy or not? “Time travel into our own future, the exploration of alternative universes, and the concept of universal transmutation through Einstein- Rosen bridges remain intriguing possiblities, as we continue to decipher and unravel the very building blocks of nature.” ( tech.co.za/quantum_field_theory.htm). tech.co.za/quantum_field_theory.htm MANY scientist believe understanding the fundamental pieces of the world, space, and universe will make time travel and transmutation possible.. The only question to most now is when?

Questions?