How Small Is It - Chapter 1 - Preface

Hello and welcome to the “How Small Is It” video book. This is a sequel to my first video book on “How Far Away Is It”, where we started in my backyard and went all the way to the edge of the physical universe, explaining along the way how we knew how far away things were.

In this video book, we’ll start again from my backyard, but we’ll move down to how small the smallest things can get.

I’ve been motivated by two things to do this video:

• One is the success of “How far away is it” - hundreds of thousands of hits and millions of minutes watched. It’s been very gratifying.
• The second is that, in 1972 I studied Quantum Field Theory for my Master’s degree at Oxford University, and recently, the Higgs boson has been discovered. It’s the boson for a field that was just beginning to be talked about back in the early 70s. So it’s very exciting.

But I noticed that explanations are so over simplified that they are actually misleading. I heard one explanation that called the Higgs boson a kind of molasses that slowed things down. It’s not anything like that. But it’s not so mysterious, that we can’t understand it.

So as we get down to how small things can get, we’ll finish with: the Higgs boson – what it is; the Higgs field – what it does; and the CERN hadron collider that finally found it.

In our first chapter on the microscopic, we’ll use microscopes and the wave-particle duality for electrons to understand how an electron microscope works. And then use the electron microscope to see down to a carbon atom.

In the second chapter, we’ll go into the atom. We’ll scatter alpha particles into the atom to find the nucleus. We’ll cover the rules of quantum mechanics as we get deeper and deeper into the working of an atom to help us understand how fields can have sizes, and to set the stage for the Higgs Boson.

In the third chapter, we’ll find a whole lot of new elementary particles (some of them not so elementary) - a lot more than the electron, proton, photon, and neutron that came from cosmic rays bombarding us from outer space. We’ll also probe the proton - much like Rutherford scattering probed the atom. We’ll discover quarks on the inside of the proton and the neutron. And we’ll lay the stage for the Standard Model of Particle Physics.

In the final chapter, we’ll finish off the standard model by explaining force particles – bosons: the gluons that bind the quarks, and the photon for the electromagnetic force. And then, we’ll get into the Higgs boson.

Like we did with “How far away is it”, we’ll explain along the way how we know how small things are.

The pictures aren’t as grand as the Hubble pictures of grand spiral galaxies, but I trust you’ll find the story is interesting and informative.

Thank you.

STEM

[JPH]

This series has to be the most comprehensive yet understandable work on this subject. I appreciate the time and effort dedicated to creating it, and thankyou very much!

[robertbutler]

The first series was brilliant, to take a simple concept and use it as a starting point for a description of the cosmos and the great insights that made this knowledge possible. Updates have been helpful too. Was not expecting this new series but really looking forward to it!

[TudorascuBogdan]

The fact that you say "thank you " at the end humbles me.

You shouldn't say that. We should thank you.

I am glad that my eyes and ears were captured by your amazing ability to weave with words, pictures and pasion a story grander than reality.(itself)

Love<3

[sandlymclandy]

Thanks for making these videos. And please don't listen to the negativity regarding your pauses. It really helps stuff sink in.

[donsteitz]

This guy is as fantastic as the Universe he talks about. Obviously knows his stuff. Finally! Someone in 2021 I can listen to and actually learn something.

[questwings]

it's 2019 now. i just found you and have subscribed. what i love the most is your measured pace. i find it elegant for the topics you discuss.

[maynardjohnson]

The classical pieces fit in nicely and you don't talk down but explain the subject well. Thanx

[mariusb]

Great series. Thank you for the meticulous explanations and the focus on how the theories work with the observations. It blows life in the formulas.

[xXgglXx]

I am really excited for this! How far away is it was great and I have shared it with many people, and plan to do the same with this series.

Thank you for such great content. Its been an invaluable asset.

[holyshnikeys]

Thank you for your hard work and dedication sir. I've been deeply humbled by the knowledge you put forth so effortlessly. It took 30 years for some basic things to make sense to me, for life to feel important.

[yoshyoka]

Being trained in biotechnology I thought I was aware about the world of "the small". Yet looking at this series I suddenly feel I am working with colossal artifacts. On the other hand it is strangely gratifying to think that in the scale of the universe (on a logarithmic scale) we are surprisingly right in the middle, the balance point between the universal web and the quarks.
Thank you once again for re-awakening my interest in physics!

[megashermes]

From France, thank you very much for your very detailed and pleasantly illustrated courses.

Thank you Mr. Butler you are amazing teacher

[lightslayer]

You explained the topic very well Mr.Butler

[kellykurt]

A wonderful teacher. My understanding has expanded, and so my 'reality' has expanded as well. Thank you, sir, for these videos.

[basstard]

Yay another series! :)

Given that we stand about 1/2 way through the scale of bigness, there's a lot to explore! 

[neveele]

Welcome back!! I've watched your other videos about 30 times each! Love your work!!!!

[jdogcisco]

Phenomenal! This series answered so many questions I've had from watching other shows about similar topics. Well done!

[zelimirvulic]

I am delighted with this 5 videos. Thank you David Butler, I saw all five videos several times, especially the 5th video. Best of luck in your efforts

[snowtemplepilot]

This will be my 5th time watching this. I have told you before, outstanding. You are right up there with Carl Sagen, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth May. Thank you again David ^^.