The first image of a black hole as taken by the Event Horizon Telescope
Ever wanted to fall inside a black hole and see what happens? In this camp, you'll do that and return to tell the tale! You will learn simple but powerful tools to "hack" physics and discover the properties of black holes, from the real astrophysical ones seen by the Event Horizon Telescope and LIGO, to ideas at the cutting edge of high energy theory. Being a physics hacker requires no more than a bit of algebra and an open mind; everything else you can pick up along the way!
When?
Monday August 14 - Friday August 18, 2023; 9:00am - 12:00noon.
Who?
This camp is designed for students aged 14-17 years.
Cost:
$295 (including tax).
If the fee is a barrier to your participation, a limited number of bursaries are available for eligible families - please email camps@visst.ca to inquire.
Where?
The Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology (VISST) - #200-1490 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC.
Why should you attend?
Exercise not only your algebra and physics skills but also your imagination.
Learn about real-life applications and international collaborations like LIGO and the Event Horizon Telescope from quantum computing researcher with a PhD in string theory and black holes from UBC.
Try something you won’t find in school that combines astro-physics and math in a fun and easy to understand way.
Earn a certificate of completion from the Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology.
What will you learn?
Building blocks: On the mathematical side, we'll mostly be using algebra, so on Day 1 we do a math refresher and apply it to some fun problems. We'll then introduce the fundamental concept of energy and discuss the different ways it can be stored. We'll also go over some of the required math, but use it to estimate some fun things, e.g. the size of the earth and the moon.
Dimensional analysis: On Day 2, we'll dive into dimensional analysis, an incredibly powerful hack for getting the right answers even when we don't know what we're doing! We'll apply it to nuclear explosions, tidal waves, and various pumpkin-based timekeeping devices.
Thermodynamics and black holes: On Day 3, things will start to heat up. We'll cover basic thermodynamic quantities such as heat and radiation. We'll also finally introduce the star of the show — black holes — and by relating them to thermodynamics, discover that black holes aren't really black!
Collisions and planetary cameras: On Day 4, we'll turn to real black holes, and their experimental detection by two major collaborations: LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) and the ETH (Event Horizon Telescope). We'll discuss black holes collisions, the physics of imaging, and how to turn the earth into a giant camera lens.
Bonus round!: On Day 5, we'll cover bonus topics as time and interest permit. Options include: black holes and quantum computing; the Penrose singularity theorems; quantum gravity; size limits for white dwarfs and neutron stars; and the history of cosmic expansion.
Camp Instructor
Dr. David Wakeham is a quantum computing researcher with a PhD in string theory and black holes. He spends his spare time figuring out ways to make hard things easy, and boring things fun.
Additional Notes:
Refund policy: Email us at least 2 weeks (14 days) prior to the start of the camp for a full refund.
Questions?
Please email camps@visst.ca