The discovery of the Quark world and leptons with real data

An IPPOG (International Particle-Physics Outreach Group) initiative created in Bologna by the local INFN section with the participation of the University of Bologna

»February 26, 2020

»February 27, 2020

»February 28, 2020

Designed to give secondary school students an opportunity to personally discover the world of particle physics, the International Masterclasses involve around 13,000 students from 55 countries every year. Each of the 225 universities or research centers participating in the initiative organize a “full immersion” day of lessons, exercises and measurements of physical quantities using the real data collected from experiments that study the fundamental constituents of the matter and the forces that govern them.
During the morning, researchers working in the field of particle physics will hold introductory seminars. Later in the afternoon the students, assisted by tutors, will carry out practical exercises on the computer using the same interactive graphic programs that are currently used by elementary particle physicists.

This year students who participate in the Bologna Masterclass will have the opportunity to choose between

February 26, 2020 – examine real events collected by the ATLAS experiment to rediscover the Z boson and other known particles, to search for the Higgs particle and finally to exalt possible evidence of particles still unknown.

or

February 27, 2020 – examine real events to look for strange particles (particles that contain the strange quark) produced in LHC collisions and revealed by the ALICE experiment. This research is based on the recognition of two different types of decay: those called ‘V0’ and ‘cascade’. An abundance of strange quark production could indicate a plasma quark-gluon formation signal.

or

February 28, 2020 – examine real events collected by the LHCb experiment to determine the best candidate events with D0 particles (particles that contain the charm quark) in order to study some important properties. LHC is not only a useful tool to search for new particles, but also a factory of particles already observed, but of which all the characteristics are not known.

At the end of the day the students will connect by videoconference with various European and non-European offices to discuss the results obtained.

In Bologna the “Teachers Day” will be organized at the same time as the students’ days and will be addressed to accompanying teachers. Together, teachers and students, they will carry out the planned exercises and activities. Only the teachers who will participate in the complete program will receive a certificate of participation.

The buffet lunch will be offered by the Bologna Section of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics.