QuarkNet @ DPF - July 20, 2026

  Greetings and introductions 

• Whip around for introductions
  • Name
  • School name & city
  • What you teach
     
• What is QuarkNet?
• Norms (STEP UP)
• Why include Contemporary Physics in our Classrooms?
• Setting the stage: Big to small (slides)
   

    Activity: Shuffling the Particle Deck 
     Explore the elementary particles that make up the Standard Model.

• Virtual Particle Cards (full set in one group)
• Virtual Particle Cards (grouped)
• Standard model, and standard model

     Muons will be a common thread throughout most of our activities today.

  Activity: Rolling with Rutherford 
     Using indirect evidence to "see" the invisible. 

• Tracks - Tracks tell stories and provide indirect evidence.
• Cloud chamber - example of particle tracks
  • Link to free cloud chambers from American Nuclear Society
• Slides - for reference
• Spreadsheet - for visualizing the importance of more data
• Simulation - From Jeremy Wegner

Quick demo(s): Cosmic watches and cosmic ray detector.

10:45 AM

Talk: g-2 and Mu2e Experiments 

Chris Polly, Fermilab

OR 

Activity: Mean Lifetime Part 1: Dice

• Spreadsheet

Activty: Mean Lifetime Part 2: Cosmic Ray Muons

• Events

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

Activity: Calculate the Z Mass - 
     Use conservation laws (energy/momentum) to calculate the mass of a particle.

• Act out p-p collision and subsequent decay
• Slides - for reference
• Data/events
• Spreadsheet (for quick total momentum calculations)
• Plots from the pros: CMS, ATLAS, Higgs (4l, animated)   

  Activity: World Wide Data Day measurement  - 
     Use muons in a calibration measurement at the LHC.  

• What is W2D2?
• Video: The LHC
• Slides
• Analysis
  • Access data: iSpy-w2d2
  • Record results: tally sheet (printed for you) <--use this first
  • Share results: spreadsheet <--use this second...enter your totals when done
  • Show full/combined results from past W2D2

 Closing Discussion

• Tour of QuarkNet.org and Data Activities Portfolio
• Implementation ideas
• Q & A
• Final housekeeping/paperwork (Nicole Schrode), ~10 mins.

4:00-5:30 PM

Optional DPF Sessions:

• Science Trust Panel, WH Curia II