Particle Physics
Phil Yager, Dr. Yager, a physics PhD, and a friend, died some years ago. I did not know of his death until a considerable amount of time had passed. I missed him and still wish he were around. I knew him well enough to know that he had drive talent, and luck. I also know that his life was not easy.
His physics was experimental particle physics. Experimental physics can be demanding an "elemental particles" seem more so. Phil's math was up to it. I feel sure that he found pleasure and satisfaction in his career.
In a early explanatory paper he wrote in part, something very like the following: the physics of elementary particles is explored by colliding particles together and observing the results. He quotes Feynman as describing it something like: "this process of colliding particles as like colliding watches (fine mechanical Swiss watches), picking up the pieces and trying to find out how they worked."
Feynman was not only an accomplished physicist, but, I am late to discover, an author of works we can enjoy and benefit from.
Phil was like many of us and liked by many. Still he spent an important part of his life with creative math and in observing a beauty almost none of us have seen.
One beauty has been called an elementary particle. Elementary particles have been called the smallest building blocks of our universe. They have been thought to no internal structure(so how divisible?). Their researchers think about them as zero dimensional "points," which take up no space. There seems to be about a dozen of them, even so they take up no room. They do take time. I am yet at a loss as to why they have not been called happenings rather than particles.
It seems physicists have been working on the outer edges of human understanding. At least on the edge of mine.
I remember having been told of electrons, but remember little. They seem to me to be closely related to elemental particles. That may be a case of poor memory combined with ignorance. You who know more, even just a bit more come and share some of what you have learned. You can begin by using the comments add just below this post.
I hope that I am not slipping into an intellectual swamp. I am coming to believe that for important and practical purposes there is no such thing as things. I have forgotten the those practical purposes, except that they have something to do with an approach to reality. Doesn't it seem that each thing is really a happening so everything is happening. Still, I probably write, speak, or think of the term "thing" daily.
I remember Phil showing two different colliders, but I don't remember their names well and am not sure how to spell them. One was something like Cyclotron and the Bevatron. Spell Check seems to agree that my spelling is OK. Now, I understand, their are new and speedier colliders. I expect that a lot good physics and good engineering as well as wealth has gone into their creation and use. Many important people have considered them important. Early on they help us to atomic and hydrogen weapons. I need someone with more up to date knowledge to provide us with a list of the some of the other benefits they provided. They exist.
So, to stop claims about me not providing information, here is a list of elementary particles. I lack knowledge of their nature, but I can name them:
~ fermion -- reminds me of a famous physicist
~ neutrino -- doesn't participate in the strong reaction. Who can remind us of the nature of the '''strong reaction?" The neutrino does come in three flavors, electron neutrino, muon neutrinos and tau neutrinos.
~ kaons
~ pions
~ protons -- sounds a bit familiar
~ anti protons
~ photons -- sounds a bit more familiar
~ charm quark
~anti charm quark
There must be a quark. What about a charm? and What about a beauty?
I am embarrassed at demonstrating so much ignorance. I think my father told me to keep it to myself. This is probably be my last dip into elementary particles. I may live long enough to visit the topic of physics again.
Good bye Phil. My sister Gerry remembers you as Butch. Hope your mother knew that you were an early full professor.
Rich