Teaching Guide: Luis Alvarez: Dinosaurs, Pyramids, and Bubble Chambers
Students will learn about the life of experimental physicist Luis W. Alvarez, as well as his contributions to particle physics.
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Luis Alvarez was the first Hispanic- American to have ever won a Nobel Prize in physics. A multifaceted man- Alvarez did much more than the particle physics experiments he won the prize for. Along with creating the first bubble chamber in the world, discovering a way to synthesize tritium on earth, and discovering new families of particles in his life, Alvarez also was an avid aviator, worked extensively in radar systems, developed monography used to find hidden chambers in the Egyptian pyramids, analyzed the Kennedy assassination photos, and developed a new theory for dinosaur extinction with his son. This lesson guide talks about all the things Alvarez did with his life, his relationship with his identity, and teaches students how to identify particles in a bubble chamber like Alvarez did.
Grade level(s): 9-12
Guide subjects: Physics
Minority Group(s): Hispanic
In-class time: 60-90 min
Prep time: 10-15 min
Technology Requirements: Audio/Video required
Common Core Standards: Reading: Informational Text, Speaking & Listening, History/Social Studies, Science & Technical Subjects
Next Generation Science Standards: Physical sciences, Matter and Its Interactions
