Physics Commons^™

Correlations Between The Strange Quark Condensate, Strange Quark Mass, And Kaon Pcac Relation, Derek Harnett, Jason N.E. Ho, Tom G. Steele

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Correlations between the strange quark mass, strange quark condensate ⟨¯ss⟩, and the kaon partially conserved axial current (PCAC) relation are developed. The key dimensionless and renormalization-group invariant quantities in these correlations are the ratio of the strange to nonstrange quark mass rm=ms/mq, the condensate ratio rc=⟨¯ss⟩/⟨¯qq⟩, and the kaon PCAC deviation parameter rp=−ms⟨¯ss+¯qq⟩/2f2Km2K. The correlations define a self-consistent trajectory in the {rm,rc,rp} parameter space constraining strange quark parameters that can be used to assess the compatibility of different predictions of these parameters. Combining the constraint with Particle Data Group (PDG) values of rm results in {rc,rp} constraint trajectories that are …

A Lab Skills Diagnostic Test, John Zwart

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The American Association of Physics Teachers recommends that physics majors have proficiency in the following lab skills: constructing knowledge, modeling, designing experiments, analyzing and visualizing data, and communicating physics. I have developed a brief multiple-choice questionnaire to assess incoming students’ lab skill level in these areas. It was administered as both a pre-test and post-test for the first semester of introductory calculus-based physics. Preliminary results indicate that little improvement on the skills tested occurs without explicit instruction.

Dark Matter-Neutrino Interconversion At Coherent, Direct Detection, And The Early Universe, Nicholas Hurtado, Hana Mir, Ian M. Shoemaker, Eli Welch, Jason Wyenberg

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We study a dark matter (DM) model in which the dominant coupling to the standard model occurs through a neutrino-DM-scalar coupling. The new singlet scalar will generically have couplings to nuclei/electrons arising from renormalizable Higgs portal interactions. As a result, the DM particle X can convert into a neutrino via scattering on a target nucleus N: X+N→ν+N, leading to striking signatures at direct detection experiments. Similarly, DM can be produced in neutrino scattering events at neutrino experiments: ν+N→X+N, predicting spectral distortions at experiments such as COHERENT. Furthermore, the model allows for late kinetic decoupling of dark matter with implications for …

Systematic Errors In Video Analysis, Tim Martin, Kayt Frisch, John Zwart

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Video analysis helps students to connect physical, mathematical, and graphical models with the phenomena that the models represent and improves student kinematic graph interpretation skills. The wide-spread availability of easy to use software packages like Logger Pro (Vernier), Capstone (PASCO), and Tracker have led to many introductory physics courses adopting video analysis techniques in the classroom. Such uses include high-speed cameras to study rocket launches and other innovative applications. In this paper, we will look at ways in which some common systematic errors can affect outcomes.

Universal Scale Factors Relating Mesonic Fields And Quark Operators, Amir H. Fariborz, Jason Ho, Tom G. Steele

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Scale factor matrices relating mesonic fields in chiral Lagrangians and quark-level operators of QCD sum-rules are shown to be constrained by chiral symmetry, resulting in universal scale factors for each chiral nonet. Built upon this interplay between chiral Lagrangians and QCD sum-rules, the scale factors relating the a0 isotriplet scalar mesons to their underlying quark composite field were recently determined. It is shown that the same technique when applied to K∗0 isodoublet scalars reproduces the same scale factors, confirming the universality property and further validating this connection between chiral Lagrangians and QCD sum-rules which can have nontrivial impacts on our …

Is The Y (2175) A Strangeonium Hybrid Meson?, Jason Ho, R. Berg, T. G. Steele, W. Chen, D. Harnett

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QCD Gaussian sum rules are used to explore the vector (JPC=1−−) strangeonium hybrid interpretation of the Y(2175). Using a two-resonance model consisting of the Y(2175) and an additional resonance, we find that the relative resonance strength of the Y(2175) in the Gaussian sum rules is less than 5% that of a heavier 2.9 GeV state. This small relative strength presents a challenge to a dominantly hybrid interpretation of the Y(2175).

The Associations Between Self-Reported Exposure To The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Zone And Mental Health Disorders In Ukraine, Matthew A. Bolt, Luralyn M. Helming, Nathan L. Tintle

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In 1986, Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near Pripyat, Ukraine exploded, releasing highly-radioactive materials into the surrounding environment. Although the physical effects of the disaster have been well-documented, a limited amount of research has been conducted on association of the disaster with long-term, clinically-diagnosable mental health disorders. According to the diathesis–stress model, the stress of potential and unknown exposure to radioactive materials and the ensuing changes to ones life or environment due to the disaster might lead those with previous vulnerabilities to fall into a poor state of mental health. Previous studies of this disaster have found …

Heart Attack Physics, John Zwart

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I recently had a first-hand opportunity to learn some interesting biomedical applications of physics which provide application examples for introductory classes. While there were many such applications, from X-rays to ultrasonic imaging, I’ll focus on fluid flow through clogged coronary arteries and the use of radioactive materials in a nuclear stress test.

Physics 101: Observing Physical Creation, Kayt E. Frisch

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"Physics is fundamentally about repeatedly observing the Creation, building models that describe our observations, and then making predictions about what we will observe in the future."

Posting about the study of physics from In All Things - an online hub committed to the claim that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for the entire world.

http://inallthings.org/physics-101-observing-physical-creation/

Systematic Errors In Intro Lab Video Analysis, John Zwart, Kayt E. Frisch, Tim Martin

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In video analysis lab experiments, students frequently find large discrepancies between results based on self-filmed videos and expected values (e.g. for g determined by a fit to projectile motion data). These differences are frequently far larger than the uncertainty calculated from their fit. Using an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera with a 4x optical zoom to record video, we investigated two possible causes of this error: the effect of placing the reference meter stick at a different object-to-camera distance and the effect of the motion of interest being in a plane not perpendicular to the camera lens. When we observed these phenomena …

Systematic Errors In Intro Lab Video Analysis, John Zwart, Kayt E. Frisch, Tim Martin

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In video analysis lab experiments, students frequently find large discrepancies between results based on self-filmed videos and expected values (e.g. for g determined by a fit to projectile motion data). These differences are frequently far larger than the uncertainty calculated from their fit. Using an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera with a 4x optical zoom to record video, we investigated two possible causes of this error: the effect of placing the reference meter stick at a different object-to-camera distance and the effect of the motion of interest being in a plane not perpendicular to the camera lens. When we observed these phenomena …

Team Analysis And Review: Using Group Assessment For Learning, Kayt E. Frisch

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Team work is widely reported to be a highly desired skill by prospective employers and professional schools. To help my students develop teamwork skills I have been using group quizzes called “Team Analysis And Review” (TAARs) in my introductory algebra-based physics course. A TAAR takes the full 50-minute class period and the students will review the material on the quiz three times during the period: individually, in an assigned group, and finally as a whole class. The individual TAAR allows the student to identify personal gaps in their understanding of the material. The group TAAR encourages peer instruction and offers …

Weaving Experimental Skills Throughout The Introductory Laboratory, John Zwart

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The laboratory portion of an introductory course sequence can be used to meet a wide variety of goals ranging from illustrating phenomena studied in class, to building intuition about how the physical world works, to confronting the unexpected. Helping students develop experimental skills is a crucial goal that needs to be addressed in lab, especially in light of the fact that most introductory textbooks do not specifically address this topic. Important skills that students should learn in lab include how to analyze data, how to communicate results and the art of designing an experiment. This presentation will discuss how we …

Spinning Tubes: An Authentic Research Experience In A Three-Hour Laboratory, Arnold E. Sikkema, Steven D. Steenwyk, John Zwart

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We discuss a three-hour laboratory that is a microcosm of physics research, starting with the discovery of an intriguing phenomenon, and including participation in “research conferences” and the interplay of theory and experiment. Students are given a small segment of PVC pipe marked at opposite ends with different symbols and asked to observe what happens when the pipe is placed on a horizontal surface and one end is pushed downward by a finger to initiate a rotation. Most students immediately recognize that the symbol at one end is visible while the other is not, and set about trying to understand …