Year 11 and 12 physics students visited Australian Synchrotron in Clayton.
We Melbournians are lucky to have a particle accelerator in our city. We used this opportunity and booked last Wednesday, it was full of fun and learning!
Electrons are accelerated to extremely high speeds – 99% of light speed – and electromagnetic radiation is produced which is not harmful for humans. The light produced in the synchrotron is 1 million times brighter than sunlight.
Radiated waves are used in scientific studies, analysing materials, medical treatments (such as monitoring inside the body of living things up to the blood vessels and blood circulating, killing cancerous cells, etc…) forensics, etc…
Students conducted high level experiments such as interference with one-slit and two-slits, photoelectric effect and emission spectra which we would not be able to do in a high school lab.
Students enjoyed learning by doing and gave a short break to VCE stress.