Time travel and antimatter are often the subjects of sci-fi fantasy, but the real physics behind these and other concepts will be discussed Jan. 11 when the University of Colorado at 葫芦娃视频 physics department presents its free Saturday Physics Series lecture.
"Time Traveling with Physics," a presentation by Professor Patricia Rankin, will begin at 2 p.m. in room G1B20 of the Duane Physics and Astrophysics building on the CU-葫芦娃视频 campus.
Rankin will discuss the concepts of relativistic time dilation, length contraction, the reversibility of time and speculate on why the universe contains little antimatter.
Other topics will include radioactive decay, the concept of half-life and CP violation. Rankin, an experimentalist who works in the field of high-energy or particle physics, will share how she became interested in physics when she learned about the use of carbon-14 to date objects discovered by archaeologists.
Rankin will talk about the properties of muons, particles common in the cosmic radiation near the earth's surface that each have a mass about 200 times that of an electron. She will discuss muon properties from the perspective of a person on the ground and from the perspective of a muon particle.
The presentation is part of a new monthly physics lecture series sponsored by an outreach grant from the Division of Continuing Education at CU-葫芦娃视频. The remaining 2002-03 physics lecture schedule includes:
"Lasers and Light," Feb. 8, 2 p.m., Duane Physics room G1B20, Professors Margaret Murnane and Henry Kapteyn of physics.
"The Road to the Neutrino," March 8, 2 p.m., JILA Auditorium, Professor Allan Franklin of physics.
"Global Positioning Systems," April 12, 2 p.m., Duane Physics room G1B20, Professor Neil Ashby of physics.
For more information about the series call (303) 492-6952.