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How do particle accelerators and colliders work?
Excursion, Resources, Classroom Activities,
Assessment Ideas, IT Applications
Excursion
The Australian Synchrotron offers full day laboratory sessions for the Unit 4 Area of Study: Ideas about light and matter as well as the Unit 4: Detailed Study: the Synchrotron and its applications. The lab sessions can be booked any Monday to Thursday from August to October. Bookings can be made at Australian Synchrotron then select 'Education'. Full descriptions of the lab sessions and tours are included there along with a booking form and available dates.
The L & M lab session includes experiments on: i) Diffraction through single and double slits, ii) Photoelectric effect and iii) Emission spectra of elements. The Synchrotron lab session includes experiments on: i) Electrons in electric and magnetic fields, ii) Modelling Bragg diffraction and iii) Emission spectra of elements. Both lab sessions include a Synchrotron tour.
The lab sessions are also available at other times of the year, but only on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Tours: Morning and afternoon tours can be booked independently, but are only available outside August to October and also only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
For inquiries or to book you can contact Leanne Wallace, the Tours coordinator.
Resources
Text Resources
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50.2 kB |
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Teaching program linking the Detailed Study to the Unit 4 Areas of Study "Interactions of light and matter" and "Electric Power". |
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84 kB |
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Document linking the DS, Einstein's relativity, to the DS "Synchrotron and its applications". |
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583 kB |
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Prepared by Steve Treadwell for the PD event at Monash Uni in 2008. |
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Audiovisual Resources
It is recommended that teachers should view any video before purchase. There is also a CDROM available from the AIP Education Committee. See IT applications below.
- VEA: Synchrotron- An Introduction
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7.32 MB |
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Powerpoint presentation by Dr Greg LeBlanc, Lead accelerator physicist at the Australian Synchrotron for the PD event at Monash Uni in 2008. |
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19.2 MB |
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A Powerpoint presentation by Dan O'Keeffe, compiled from resources supplied by the Australian Synchrotron. |
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Classroom Activities
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125 kB |
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A Bragg Diffraction Experiment with microwave apparatus. The pdf file includes a full page protractor to measure angles. |
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28.2 kB |
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Teachers notes for the Bragg Diffraction Experiment with microwave apparatus. |
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380 kB |
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Five pages of practical activities ranging from simple exercises with everyday materials to effective demonstrations of Bragg Diffraction. |
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84 kB |
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A set of X-ray diffraction graphs that students can analyse to determine the crystal spacing from a supplied X-ray wavelength. Answers are included. The spreadsheet described below was used to generate these graphs. |
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29.7 kB |
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A media article on an example of a use of synchrotron radiation. Questions and answers included. |
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Assessment Ideas
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20 kB |
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A statement of expectations of the students for the SAC. |
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48.1 kB |
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A synchrotron test |
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38.9 kB |
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A synchrotron test question matrix. |
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42.5 kB |
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A synchrotron test answers. |
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70.1 kB |
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A set of synchrotron test questions with answers. |
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IT Applications
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407 kB |
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Detailed information about the Exploring Matter with Synchrotron Light CD, including a table of contents. |
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63 kB |
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CDROM "Exploring matter with synchrotron light" summary showing the table of contents of each of the five sections of the CDROM. |
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38.9 kB |
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An Excel file for generating X-ray Diffraction Graphs for different crystals. The file includes instruction on how to use the spreadsheet as well as a weblink to a site containing an extensive list of crystal spacing data that is used to generate the graphs. |
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Useful Websites
The Australian Synchrotron web site
The Australian Synchrotron has a well resourced website that contains within its links all that teachers and students will need to know about the Synchrotron. When this site comes up one of the options displayed is a "Discussion Forum" which offers sections for everyone from the general public to physics teachers to research scientists specialising in a particular use of synchrotron radiation. You are welcome to join any of these sections and see what is being discussed.
The Australian Synchrotron web site resources
Their website also features an extensive set of resources available in pdf form. There are 11 files of explanatory notes, 6 files of activities, a file of video and multimedia resources and a file of useful websites.
Nova: Science in The News
The Australian Academy of Science runs the website Nova: Science in The News. For each news item they provide "key text", "Glossary", "Activities", "Further reading" and "Useful Sites". There is a news item on the Synchrotron, posted in November 2002.
Using Microwaves in a Sytnchrotron
A description of the microwave system in a synchrotron including the klystron, wave guides and RF cavities.
Center for X-Ray Optics
The Center for X-Ray Optics at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory works to advance the science and technology of short-wave optical systems with applications using extreme ultraviolet light (EUV), soft x-ray radiation and nanostructure fabrication. Their link "X-Ray Interactions with Matter" is very comprehensive.
Cornell University: Laboratory for Elementary-Particle Physics
Cornell's Laboratory for Elementary-Particle Physics uses a synchrotron to study nature's fundamental particles and the laws that govern them. Check 'Education' section then go down to the section for 'Educators'.
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: Education
A link to their resources and programs.
How stuff Works
How stuff Works: Klystrons & the 'buncher'
Linac design & operation
A description of how the linac works including the electron gun and the buncher.
Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory
Based at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Centre (SLAC), the SSRL website is well designed and comprehensive n content.
Testing Beethoven's hair
A detailed report of the use of Synchrotron radiation to analyse Beethoven's hair, which found high concentrations of lead.
Dr Peter Hammond of the University of Western Australia
Dr Peter Hammond of the University of Western australia has a website of useful images and animations.
Canadian Light Source: Synchrotron Science Classroom Resources
Over 130 pages of material under the headings 'What is synchrotron?', 'Experimental Beamlines', 'Research Applications', 'When Light interacts with Matter', 'Lessons' and 'Student Pages' with several items for each heading, each of which can be accessed separately.
Synchrotron Investigations
The Australian Synchrotron is an exciting, cutting-edge research facility that opened in Melbourne in 2007. This project was developed by Western Australian science and maths teachers in conjunction with research scientists and educationalists at UWA. This comprehensive resource has been designed to highlight the importance of integrating maths and science in Australian schools using a synchrotron as a context. This resource package is made up of four different elements: i) teacher notes, ii) student activities, iii) video clips and iv) multimedia resources (digital learning objects and PowerPoint presentations). The resources are available as PDF documents or Word documents. The Word documents allow teachers to make any necessary changes to allow for tailoring for the specific needs of their classes. Resources can be downloaded as entire chapters (for example all of chapter 3) or can be downloaded as individual segments (for example 3.1, 3.2, 3.3).