This document discusses an educational project called "Playing with Protons" that aims to teach students about particle physics experiments at CERN. It seeks to explain how the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and its detectors work, how experimental data is processed, and the challenges and opportunities in the field. The project explores basic principles like how proton beams collide and are observed in giant detectors buried deep underground. Students participate by creating artifacts, experiments, songs, and more to help explain particle physics concepts in an accessible way.

1. PLAYING WITH
PROTONS
Elena Elliniadou, MEd
Principal, ICT teacher trainer
2nd Primary School of Piraeus-Uruguay
elenelli9@gmail.com

2. Accelerating Science and Innovation

3. How are particles detected in the LHC?
How LHC detectors work?
Why LHC tunnel is buried below ground?

4. Students’ Alternative Conceptions
Structure of Matter, microcosmos are difficult to comprehend
a. Protons are elementary particles
b. Particles are easy to be seen or touched in a microscope
c. Technology can solve all our questions

5. -Exploring the basic principles of LHC operation
-How LHC detectors work
-How is the experimental data processed
-The difficulties and prospects that emerge

6. 27km in
circumference
~ 100m deep

7. 2nd & 6th Primary School of Artemis

8. 2nd Primary
School
of Piraeus -
Uruguay

9. elenelli@blogspot.com
A Hydrogen Atom is
ionised i.e. has its
electron removed,
leaving a charged
proton.

11. Collision of proton beams… …observed in giant detectors
L H C

12. ALICELHC Particle detectors

13. ATLAS: Higgs and supersymmetry
CMS: Higgs and supersymmetry
ALICE: Primordial cosmic plasma
LHCb: Matter-antimatter difference

14. 2nd Primary
School
of Piraeus -
Uruguay

15. 15

16. 2 Laser beams
Talc /flour
CD
How do we demonstrate the collision of the protons?
Tina Nantsou, Hill Memorial School

17. 2nd & 6th Primary
School of Artemis

19. 2nd & 6th Primary
School of Artemis

20. 20
CERN: founded in 1954: 12 European States
“Science for Peace”
Today: 22 Member States
~ 2’500 staff
~ 1’800 other paid personnel
~ 13’000 scientific users
Budget (2017) ~ 1’100 MCHF

21. The Mission of CERN
Push forward the frontiers of knowledge
Develop new technologies for accelerators and detectors
Train scientists and engineers of tomorrow
Unite people from different countries and cultures

22. https://jessicawallis.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/cern-visitor-experience/

23. Students Artifacts

27. Association of Amateur Astronomers Dioscuri invited

28. Shape of you (Ed Sheeran) parody in Greek lyrics on CERN & science

29. Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
Paul Gauguin, 1897

30. Resources
• Nantsou Tina, Science Experiments for Kids, https://tinanantsou.blogspot.gr/
• Nantsou Tina (2017), Cosmology Experiments for Kids (Paris Papadopoulos)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QLvzqyH-kN4XPrvK4vTL-nVjgy1kmIZU/view?usp=sharing
• Nantsou Tina, (2017), Cosmology with simple materials, (Pavlidou Maria)
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KB86GRQxHpzJ9JM53l1dOJ2lmbfjuDrL/view?usp=sharing
• Nantsou Tina (2017), LHC Technology
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HyTgSEp8nEf5ub46zefhg4ONRpuLCRU-/view?usp=sharing
• Nantsou Tina (2017), Elementary Particles Experiments
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SdcRJUmAV3oZPR2ZgrVeUVI-WbQLVsCD/view?usp=sharing

31. Resources
• Poole Amanda , Watson Jenny, Flahert Jackie, y(2017), Particle Detectors and Acceleratos
Workshop
https://indico.cern.ch/event/615287/contributions/2673119/attachments/1518304/2370741/
Accelerators_and_detectors_compressed.pdf
• Storr Mick , (2017) Introduction to CERN
• https://indico.cern.ch/event/615287/contributions/2673101/attachments/1548423/2431565/Int
roCERN2017_short.pdf
• Playing with Protons, https://playprotons.web.cern.ch/
• 2ο & 6ο Δηµοτικά Σχολεία Αρτέµιδος
https://artemisprotons.wikispaces.com/home
• 2nd Primary School of Piraeus –Uruguay
• Project Playing with Protons

32. Thank you
PLAYING WITH
PROTONS twitter.com/playprotons
facebook.com/playprotons
Elena Elliniadou, Med
Principal, ICT teacher trainer
2nd Primary School of Piraeus-Uruguay
elenelli9@gmail.com