Possible “thought” problems
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What is zero-point vacuum energy, what process does it facilitate
Describe the various ways a molecule can experience changes in energy
What is the difference between mean lifetime and half life
Describe the workings of a nuclear reactor and all components necessary
for proper functioning, as discussed in class & on the handout
• In the context of this course, what is color and why is it important?
– No bad jokes here, please 
• List each of the fundamental forces in nature and describe them in detail:
what interactions they engage in, what particles they act upon, range of
force, mass and traits of force carrier, any unusual properties (like Weak
force is the only one that allows cross-generational mixing, and you don’t
have to have strangeness conservation in a Weak interaction)
• 4 categories of Weak interactions (NC, CC: CCQE, CC pion, CC DIS)
• What is Cerenkov and Scintillation light, how to calculate if a particle will
produce Cerenkov light in your detector
• How do we understand the phenomenon of neutrino oscillation proceeds?
Possible Calculable Problems
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Various E’s in ionic bonds of molecules
Molecular spectra
Radioactive decay
Q value of beta/fusion reactions
Exponential decay law & applications
Uncertainty principle in particle decays, temporary violation of
E/particle production
Particle production from interaction of beam of particles with a
target (cross section formula)
Particle interactions: allowed/if not then why
Given mass of force carriers, calculate range of force (or vice versa)
Given an interaction, determine q#s, quark content of decay
products (*** you MUST come prepared and know quark content of
all particles covered in the card game. I will not provide these!)
All combinations of particle decay/half life/relativity/threshold for
production – we did a lot of these examples in chapters 1 and 2!