Why build the Large Hadron Collider? - page 15
Keywords: Physics Report Large Hadron Collider Basic Introduction Grand Unified Theory Cosmic Rays Anti Matter Extra Dimensions String Theory Dark Matter Higgs Boson
By Jenny on 02/07/2009
Level: A Level (Year 13)
Page Number: 15 of 16 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
reasons for building the LHC with the expense being the major con (concerns over the Earth being devoured are at best extremely unlikely theoretical scenarios more requiring perhaps more in depth safety reviews before it is put in operation ‘just in case’). Whether you think it is worth it is mainly a matter of whether you believe that discovering the secrets of our Universe is something worth spending a large amount of money on.
In my opinion the potential for new discoveries about the fundamental nature of the Universe as well as the likelihood of important new technologies being developed as a result of the project make it well worth the money, especially as the finances are pooled jointly between a large number of wealthy nations allowing both the cost and the benefits to be distributed between them.
Glossary of abbreviations
LHC – Large Hadron Collider
CERN - Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (or European Council for Nuclear Research)
ATLAS - A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS
SPS - super proton synchrotron (injector)
RF - radiofrequency (acceleration system)
CMS - Compact Muon Solenoid
ALICE - A Large Ion Collider Experiment
LHCb - Large Hadron Collider beauty
UA1 – Underground Area 1
WIMP’s – Weakly Interacting Massive Particles
TOTEM - TOTal Elastic and diffractive cross section Measurement
LHCf - Large Hadron Collider forward
LEP – Large Electron Positron Collider
Evaluation of Sources
Bibliography
1. CERN (2008) The Large Hadron Collider http://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/LHC/LHC-en.html [Accessed 5th March - 17th April 2008]
2. Evans, L., 2007. The Large Hadron Collider. New Journal of Physics,9
3. Hey, T. and Walters, P., 2003. The New Quantum Universe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
4. Adams et al. 2001. Advancing Physics A2 .Bristol: Institute of Physics Publishing.
5. Symmetry (2006) Deconstruction: Large Hadron Collider http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000364 [Accessed 9th March 2008]
6. Seed Magazine Physics and Math – Why a Large Hadron Collider? http://seedmagazine.com/news/2006/07/why_a_large_hadron_collider.php [Accessed 9th March 2008]
7. Clark, S., 2008. Is dark matter mystery about to be solved? New Scientist,2646
8. Ananthaswamy, A., 2008. String theory may predict our universe after all. New Scientist, 2637
9. Palmer, J., 2008. Dark matter theories vie to explain odd radiation. New Scientist, 2647
10. Muir, H., 1996. Strange matter of the early Universe. New Scientist, 2033
11. Witten, G. K. E., 2002. Hunting the Higgs. New Scientist, 2336
12. Muir, H., 2008. Particle smasher ‘not a threat to Earth’. New Scientist.com News Service
13. Giles, J., 2008. Physics reels as financial axe falls. New Scientist, 2639
14. LHC UK Frequently asked Questions http://www.lhc.ac.uk/about-the-lhc/faqs.html [Accessed 14th -17th April 2008]
15. CERN Julie Trummer Seeing Crystal Clear! http://lhc-machine-outreach.web.cern.ch/lhc-machine-outreach/faq/mammography.htm
16. Gregory R. Gromov (2002) History of Internet and WWW:
The Roads and
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