You conduct an experiment which involves using a particle accelerator to launch a proton into space. a) What class of particle is the proton? What is it composed of?

One of the members of your build team is a big fan of "Rube Goldberg" machines (look it up!), and one afternoon he got really bored, and decided to build a switch for the particle accelerator based on a weight coming down from a pulley. A mass m1 (10.4 kg) is set on an incline of 20.3, connected by a string through a frictionless pulley to a mass m2 (13.9 kg). The apparatus is held motionless by a string connected to the left side of m1, which is cut by a pair of scissors to turn the particle accelerator on.

b) If the apparatus is set up so that m2 is suspended 11.5 cm above the accelerator switch, how long after the string is cut does the particle accelerator turn on?

The goal of the experiment is to get the proton past Earth's atmosphere (480 km) against the force of gravity. The desired speed of the proton when it reaches space is 0.85 c.

c) How fast do you have to launch the proton from the accelerator to achieve this target speed?

d) This is a simplified understanding of reality. List some assumptions that we have made, which would have to be taken into account to have a more accurate result.

Your first attempt at the experiment causes the proton to impact the International Space Station from behind, boring a proton-sized hole in the outer shell of the ISS, and embed in one of the astronaut's laptops. (Fortunately, the astronauts were performing a safety drill at the time, and so were safely in one of the escape pods.)

e) NASA needs to know the resulting change in momentum of the ISS, so that they can make corrections to its orbit.

Your second attempt at the experiment is made only after taking into account the position of all known space stations and satellites. However, in a freak accident that could not be anticipated, the projectile impacts an anti-proton, and the product of the impact collided with a discarded engagement ring an astronaut discarded after his girlfriend rejected his marriage proposal (she recognized that the gem was simply cubic zirconium).

f) At what speed did the light travel through the gem?

g) What is the total energy released due to the collision?

Your third attempt was launched on a path to avoid all man-made structures, but inadvertently passed through an average-sized lightning bolt.

h) Would this have any significant impact on the path of the proton? Explain.

Your final attempt managed to get your projectile into space was successful.

i) Calculate the resulting diameter of your projectile as perceived by a stationary observer.