1–5 Jun 2026
Europe/Budapest timezone

A Scintillation-Based Cosmic Muon Detector for High School Particle Physics Education

2 Jun 2026, 16:45
1h 45m
Exhibition Education, Outreach, and Art Posters and Exhibitions

Speaker

Zsófia Slezák (Neumann János Secondary School, Technical School and Dormitory, Eger)

Description

We present the development and implementation of a scintillation-based muon detector as part of a high school educational project aimed at introducing fundamental concepts of particle physics through experimental practice. The project builds on students' prior knowledge of atomic and nuclear physics and extends it to elementary particle physics, including leptons, quarks, and fundamental interactions. The detector was constructed using a modular approach based on a starter kit provided by the University of Debrecen. Students were involved in all stages of the process, including assembly of the scintillation units, detector configuration, and optimization of the geometry. The flexible design allows for systematic studies of detector performance. Data acquisition and analysis were carried out using simple software tools, providing students with insight into experimental methods and basic programming techniques. The resulting setup is a fully operational muon detector that remains available for further educational and experimental use.

Authors

Zsófia Slezák (Neumann János Secondary School, Technical School and Dormitory, Eger) Balázs Gyöngyösi (University of Debrecen) Balázs Ujvári (University of Debrecen)

Presentation materials

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