Lecture 2: Experimental Facts of Life
MIT OpenCourseWare・2 minutes read
Physics explores the existence of atoms and nuclei through various experiments, debunking classical models and revealing the composite nature of particles like protons made up of quarks. Interference effects and wave-particle duality are demonstrated through experiments involving electrons and photons, challenging traditional conceptions of particle behavior.
Insights
- Atoms are not structured as classical models depict with electrons orbiting nuclei due to energy loss from radiation, challenging traditional views of atomic structure.
- Quarks, discovered as constituents of protons with fractional charges, have intricate interactions during collisions, forming complex shrapnel patterns and challenging existing particle behavior models.
- Light exhibits wave-like behavior with interference effects, illustrated by experiments with electrons and photons, showcasing the duality of particles behaving as both waves and localized entities.
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Recent questions
What are quarks?
Quarks are constituents of protons with fractional charges, discovered through experiments by Kendall, Friedman, and Taylor.
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