This masterclass introduced students to the world of state-of-the-art nanotechnology via lectures, hands-on experiments, discussion/interview groups, and debates. Participants had the opportunity to image atoms, molecules, and nanostructures using scanning probe microscopes; investigate the interaction of light with nanoparticles; and discuss the future and potential of nanotechnology with lecturers involved in the delivery of the new Physics with Nanoscience degree courses offered by the School. Students also toured the new Nottingham Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Centre and spoke with the scientists there who manipulate matter at the atomic and molecular level.
This masterclass focused on the fundamental particles and forces and what we hope to learn about them from the Large Hadron Collider. What is dark matter and how can we find it? What does the Higgs particle do? What is string theory and are there extra dimensions? Through lectures and hands-on activities, this masterclass addressed these and other questions.
We hosted the 2009 Exploring Physics Conference on December 17th-18th. The conference aimed to motivate and inform students studying physics at both A and AS level with a blend of topics and speakers designed to offer an insight into modern physics. Further details are available here: http://www.synergysolutions.org.uk/Physics.html.
Black holes are some of the most fascinating objects in the Universe. Their gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. So if we can't see them how do we know they exist? Through lectures and hands-on activities the Black Holes Masterclass answered this and other questions. From supermassive black holes in the centre of galaxies to mini black holes at the Large Hadron Collider, participants explored where and how black holes can form. A free lunch was provided.
The University's Get on 4 Uni Masterclasses included a physical sciences strand, "Seeing the Unseeable". Chemistry, physics and astronomy deal with scales that are so different from everyday experience that it can be difficult even to picture what is going on. This strand introduced how we face these challenges and start to understand how the Universe works at the two extremes of scale, exploring the very tiny in nanotechnology and the truly enormous in astronomy.
This masterclass explained the techniques used in medical physics to explore the structure and function of the human body. These included techniques using ionizing and non ionizing radiation and those designed to detect electromagnetic activity in the body. It also outlined the main areas of activity at the forefront of medical physics research. Participants were given a chance to take part in some experimental activities related to medical physics and to visit the only 7T whole body MRI scanner in the UK. A free was provided.
View X-ray images collected at the masterclass here.
The "From quarks to the cosmos" masterclass explored the physics of the Universe, on scales ranging from the smallest fundamental particles to galaxies, via lectures and online demonstrations. Participants learned about particle physics and the Large Hadron Collider (the new particle accelerator at CERN due to start taking data next year) and used simulated data to see how the experiment will measure the properties of fundamental particles. They also studied the properties of galaxies and discovered how observations of galaxies provide evidence for the existence of exotic fundamental particles in the Universe. (The session was followed by a free lunch and optional tour of the School and campus.)
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