Student blog: Sixth Form visit to CERN

Thanks to Physics prefect, Ollie Smith (U6BRD), for this report on the recent Upper Sixth trip to CERN in Geneva. 

On the morning of November 29, a total of eighteen students departed from Manchester Airport to Geneva as a part of the annual Physics trip to CERN. Our first glimpse of Switzerland was as we emerged from the plane and were greeted by scorching sunlight and a spectacular view of the alps.

Shortly after arriving in Geneva, we found ourselves at CERN being handed site ID which made many feel incredibly important until they were informed that they were one of 3000 ID badges that had been handed to visitors that day!

Immediately after this, we had time to explore the city and enjoy free time for shopping and exploring the Christmas market. 

The next day started with a tour of the control room, a linear accelerator, and a heavy ion collider. This was our first exposure to the experimental equipment of CERN and the extremes that can be endured by the apparatus.

It was said that the temperature of the main accelerator is cooled to 2 degrees above absolute zero or -271 degrees Celsius and the highest temperature they had ever produced was 5.5 trillion degrees.

It was of great fascination to many observing the heavy ion collider as its entirety could be seen from a platform above. The guide explained to use how it was compartmentalised in a square shape allowing for equipment to be placed into the beam and have maximum time to record data.

The basics learned from the morning’s tour were useful in the flagship visit of the ATLAS detector led by Katharine Leney. This amazed us all due to both its magnitude and historical significance.

Sitting at 46m long and 7000 tonnes, it quite literally filled the room. For myself, rounding the corner to see such a mammoth piece of machinery cemented it as my highlight. Being in the place that “found” the Higgs boson and completed the standard model.

The final day was an opportunity to explore the culture of Geneva with a visit to the Museum of Science, which was located in a classical chateau. This was followed by a trip to the CERN idea square, a cooperative collaboration space. Many of were very surprised to see a London bus in the centre being used as a meeting space.

The trip was a great success and has definitely helped with our A Level studies. Here is what some other students had to say:

“Having seen ATLAS, it’s reassured me that Physics is what I want to study at university.”

“Definitely the best trip I’ve been on!”

“The cloud chamber was by far the best bit, being able to observe the particles and their behaviours after having studied them in lessons”

“I’m not sure I want to do engineering anymore, perhaps Physics is where I should go”

“the hospitality was great, the tours were great, and the physics was fun!”

“I could see myself here, actually making discoveries.”

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