Thread: The Large Hadron Collider

99.9999991% of the speed of light is the target speed for the hadron "bunches." (for those who don't know and are impressed by big numbers)

As for applicable scientific advancements; the LHC should expand our understanding of anti-matter which could advance medical imaging technologies. A PET scan uses positrons (anti-electrons) to make a 3-D map of some part of the body that needs to be inspected, so more sophisticated uses for anti-matter could be just as beneficial.

Wow, there's a ton of people here who actually know what the hell the LHC does. I know a little, but nothing intimate like you eggheads

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

Wow, there's a ton of people here who actually know what the hell the LHC does. I know a little, but nothing intimate like you eggheads

I won't make any pretenses, I'm an amateur egghead at best.

Holli4pirating, on the other hand, seems to be the real deal.

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

99.9999991% of the speed of light is the target speed for the hadron "bunches." (for those who don't know and are impressed by big numbers)

As for applicable scientific advancements; the LHC should expand our understanding of anti-matter which could advance medical imaging technologies. A PET scan uses positrons (anti-electrons) to make a 3-D map of some part of the body that needs to be inspected, so more sophisticated uses for anti-matter could be just as beneficial.

I'm not really sure that our knowledge of anti-matter will be enhanced; at this point two of the largest interests are dark matter and "new physics," which is anything outside the Standard Model. Oh yea, and the Higgs boson...how could I forget that.

Originally Posted by Russel Baldridge

I won't make any pretenses, I'm an amateur egghead at best.

Holli4pirating, on the other hand, seems to be the real deal.

I suppose my head is a bit egg-shaped... In all honesty, I love the theory part and I hate the math. But I guess that's why I was in experimental physics and not theoretical

Unfortunately, I'm either not bright enough for physics grad school, or perhaps I just lack the motivation. Either way, I entered college knowing that I wanted to teach high school physics, so I never had any intention of entering a physics grad school; let alone pursuing a research or theoretical physics career.

But if anyone is interested in some reading that is on the accessible side, I'd be happy to make some recommendations.

In college, theoretical physics was my favorite class and I scored the all time high on the final exams.
It was also a hobby then, and I once solved the QT equations for finding the shape of the p orbital of an electron. I was pretty proud of this. I tried setting up the equations for the d orbital but that was too complex to consider solving during my summer holiday.

Well, watching the live feed on BBC is a strange mix -- like getting excited whilst watching paint dry. But it's pretty amazing as of a couple of minutes ago they've confirmed the LHC works -- the beam has gone around fully in both directions. Apparently they've achieved twice as much as they expected in a day.

So I guess we'll all be history by the end of the week when the God particles clump together and pull us all through our own kazoos?

It's been nice knowing you fine gentlemen.