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Unit 5

The document discusses cosmic rays, which are high-energy particles from outer space, and their interactions with the Earth's atmosphere, leading to secondary cosmic rays and extensive air showers. It also covers elementary particles, including fermions and bosons, with specific focus on leptons and hadrons, as well as the Higgs boson and the Large Hadron Collider's role in particle physics. Additionally, it outlines the Big Bang Theory as the origin of the universe, supported by various astronomical evidence.

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12 views3 pages

Unit 5

The document discusses cosmic rays, which are high-energy particles from outer space, and their interactions with the Earth's atmosphere, leading to secondary cosmic rays and extensive air showers. It also covers elementary particles, including fermions and bosons, with specific focus on leptons and hadrons, as well as the Higgs boson and the Large Hadron Collider's role in particle physics. Additionally, it outlines the Big Bang Theory as the origin of the universe, supported by various astronomical evidence.

Uploaded by

ameenpm318
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Unit 5: Cosmic Rays and Elementary Particles

1. Cosmic Rays

Cosmic rays are high-energy particles from outer space that strike the Earth’s atmosphere.

Types:

Primary cosmic rays: High-energy protons and atomic nuclei that originate from outer space (e.g.,
supernovae, sun).

Secondary cosmic rays: Particles produced when primary cosmic rays collide with nuclei in the
Earth’s atmosphere, generating showers of subatomic particles.

2. Cosmic Ray Showers

When primary cosmic rays hit atmospheric particles, they produce cascades of new particles like
pions, muons, electrons, and gamma rays.

These cascades are known as extensive air showers.

Detected using devices like cloud chambers, scintillation counters, and Cherenkov detectors.

3. Elementary Particles

Elementary particles are the fundamental building blocks of matter and energy.

Classifications:

Category Description
Fermions Matter particles (obey Pauli’s exclusion principle)
Bosons Force carriers (e.g., photon, gluon)

4. Leptons

Light, fundamental particles with no internal structure.

Do not experience strong nuclear force.

Examples:

Electron (e⁻)

Muon (µ⁻)

Tau (τ⁻)
Their neutrinos: νe,νµ,ντνe,νµ,ντ

Each has an antiparticle (e.g., positron is the antiparticle of the electron).

5. Hadrons

Particles that experience strong nuclear force.

Made of quarks.

Two types:

a) Baryons:

Made of three quarks.

Examples: Proton (uud), Neutron (udd)

b) Mesons:

Made of a quark and an antiquark.

Example: Pions (π+,π−,π0π+,π−,π0)

6. Higgs Boson

A fundamental boson responsible for giving mass to other particles.

Predicted by the Standard Model.

Discovered at CERN in 2012.

Sometimes called the “God particle.”

7. LHC (Large Hadron Collider)

World's largest particle accelerator located at CERN near Geneva.

Used to study particle collisions at very high energies.

Key achievements:

Discovery of the Higgs boson

Search for supersymmetry, dark matter candidates, extra dimensions

8. Origin of the Universe


According to the Big Bang Theory:

The universe originated from a singularity about 13.8 billion years ago.

Rapid expansion followed (cosmic inflation).

Formation of fundamental particles → atoms → stars → galaxies.

Supporting evidence:

Cosmic microwave background radiation

Redshift of galaxies (expanding universe)

Abundance of light elements (H, He, Li)

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