Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted • Hacker News Board

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#21

Post by theptip » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:28 PM UTC

gizmo686 wrote: post #15

comboy wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Neutrinos faster than light had 6 sigma. It just shows probabilistic significance. Confirmation by independent research teams helps eliminate calculation and execution errors.

As I recall, FTL neutrinos were the result of experimental error, not chance; and so are outside the scope of what sigma screen for.

In scope for the context of this thread though; your GP claimed that 4 sigmas means “it’ll probably pan out as being real”, your parent provided a 6-sigma counter example.

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#22

Post by panda-giddiness » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:29 PM UTC

misiti3780 wrote: post #7

What is everyones favorite book on quantum mechanics (I would love understand more of the 3 generations of matter)?

As others have noted, it sounds like what you're really interested in is particle physics. In that case, I'd recommend Griffiths's "Introduction to Elementary Particles", which would be accessible to someone with an undergraduate level knowledge of physics. But you could probably get away with knowing less, depending on your background.

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#23

Post by AnimalMuppet » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:30 PM UTC

misiti3780 wrote: post #7

What is everyones favorite book on quantum mechanics (I would love understand more of the 3 generations of matter)?

I seem to recall that Feynman said that we don't understand why there are three generations, and that it's embarrassing that we don't. It means we don't really know what's going on.

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#24

Post by andi999 » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:34 PM UTC

misiti3780 wrote: post #7

What is everyones favorite book on quantum mechanics (I would love understand more of the 3 generations of matter)?

Actually just for High Energy Physics you do not really need Quantum mechanics, I think Griffith 'Introduction to Elementary Particles' was pretty good. You might want to look more into special relativity first.

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#25

Post by wwarner » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:35 PM UTC

misiti3780 wrote: post #7

What is everyones favorite book on quantum mechanics (I would love understand more of the 3 generations of matter)?

A great intro is Sean Carroll's youtube series "The Biggest Ideas in the Universe". https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrxfgDEc2NxZJcWcrxH3j...

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#26

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:37 PM UTC

Robotbeat wrote: post #13

thepangolino wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the second separate experiment giving similar value.

That does help a lot! Of course, this is still not good enough. But the nice thing about things that are real is they eventually stand up to increasing levels of self-doubt and 3rd party verification... it’s an extraordinary result (because, of course, the Standard Model seems to be sufficient for just about everything else... so any verified deviation is extraordinary), and so funding shouldn’t be a problem. A decen…

[deleted]

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#27

Post by whatshisface » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:38 PM UTC

1-6 wrote: post #8

Must be background radiation day at HN.

This is not a collider experiment, so it doesn't have that particular failure mode.

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#28

Post by ianai » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:39 PM UTC

theptip wrote: post #21

gizmo686 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I recall, FTL neutrinos were the result of experimental error, not chance; and so are outside the scope of what sigma screen for.

In scope for the context of this thread though; your GP claimed that 4 sigmas means “it’ll probably pan out as being real”, your parent provided a 6-sigma counter example.

Or the title of this topic as it is right now is misleading. It says they’ve confirmed the stronger magnetic field. Ie it was either predicted elsewhere or seen elsewhere. The later would build confidence in the testing apparatus.

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#29

Post by beezle » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:44 PM UTC

misiti3780 wrote: post #17

bodhiandphysics wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How much physics do you know? How much math? Griffins introduction to elementary particles is the standard model at an undergrad level... and is great. To understand the three generations at a higher level you need a lot of math (you need to know what a Lie algebra is and Noether’s theorem)

I do not use math or physics on a daily basis, but have an MS in Applied Math, and a lot of classes in EE.

You might also check on Perkins Intro to High Energy Physics which also links to experimental techniques.

Re: Particle mystery: physicists confirm the muon is more magnetic than predicted

#30

Post by ianai » Wed, Apr 07, 2021, 4:46 PM UTC

misiti3780 wrote: post #18

martincmartin wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quantum Mechanics and the three generations of matter are slightly different. Quantum Mechanics is like Newton's laws at small scales, in that if you know what things are like at time t, and you know all the potentials (forces), it tells you how they evolve. It also tells you what states are physically allowed (e.g. only certain energies for electrons orbiting an atom). You can study QM for years without any real loo…

thx

Did you want a QM text or a text on the Standard Model?