Physics Lab Grand Challenges

You may choose one of these challenges for one of your labs.

You design the experiment. You set up the experiment. You perform the measurement and analysis.

1 Measure the Speed of Light

Better do a good job, this is known pretty well.

2 Measure absolute activity of a source.

Harder than you think!

3 Measure the size of a nucleus.

The probe's the thing.

4 Measure the permittivity of free space.

Atomic transitions?

5 Make a measurement to prove that time dilation is real.

6 Measure the lifetime of a fundamental particle other than a muon.

7 Identify the particles in the cosmic ray flux.

8 Make a precision thermometer.(Prove it!)

9 Measure the cosmic microwave background.

10 Measure the power output of the sun.

11 Build a very low current particle accelerator.

12 Prove that atomic angular momentum exists.

Einstein-de Haas?

13 Measure the time it takes a wave to tunnel through a potential barrier.(Good Luck.)

14 Suggestions?

Enjoy, w.j.