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Small Snack Collider (SSC) |
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This inexpensive accelerator requires no construction. The cookies will crumble and splatter more or less, depending on the speeds of the colliding carts.The name, SSC, refers to the Superconducting Super Collider, which was to be built in Texas. Congress canceled the project before the 56-mile tunnel was completed.
Accelerated Particles: Cookies fastened to front of lab carts
Accelerating Propellent: Hand push or ramps
Detectors:
Variables to Investigate:
- Eyes or cameras
- Computer/calculator interfaces
- Sensors: force & photogates
Safety: Not dangerous
- Velocity of colliding particles (height of ramp)
- Fixed-target or colliding particles
Problems—Limits to analogy:
- Cannot create more massive particles than original.
- New kinds of particles are not created, just parts of the originals.
- Acceleration is not by electric fields, but by gravity or by hand.
- Quantitative measurements may not be possible.
RATINGS
Excellent Good Acceptable Marginal Yuk
EASY CONSTRUCTION COST DRAMA QUANTITATIVE Contacts: RESOURCES AND CONTACTS
Ken Cecire had fun with this in his physics classes.
