UW Update Friday Feb. 27

1.     UW Update Friday Feb. 27

a.     Rolled out of bed and went to physics, where we talked more about the Lorentz contraction. I think I’m finally almost understanding it.

b.     Returned to dorm, did housekeeping on my task list, did physics postlab.

c.      Grabbed tacos at food truck while chatting with Chase, who walked down to Red Square with me. The tacos, and the spicy tater tots I ordered with them, were quite good.

d.     Lab tour! Met up at the SPS, headed to CENPA labs below Haggett. We toured a complex particle accelerator apparatus, checked out the lab that had most precisely determined the gravitational constant with a ridiculously precise torsion balance (measures forces by the twisting of a wire), and found out about a computing cluster open for use by all UW students with simulations to run.

e.     Headed back to physics complex and toured the basement labs. One lab was studying proteins that moved DNA using a tiny pore that, when DNA was passed through it, measured the reduced current of ions flowing through the pore. Whichever DNA base was currently occupying the pore determined the current flow through the pore, so by looking at the current, the researchers could determine how the proteins were moving the DNA. Another was building resonant cavities for detecting the axion.

f.      Finally, we questioned to a panel of researchers. I felt like I got useful info.

g.     Found out that I got into the CSE department! Yes!! No more worrying about having to rewrite application essays, no more paralyzing uncertainty, no more agonizing about squeezing every last grade point out of every course! Plus, I get to register for cool departmental CS courses now.

h.     Headed back to the dorm. Worked on understanding how the Lorentz contraction related magnetism and electricity; figured out the nonintuitive math underlying the relation (in basic “current-carrying wire” terms) to my great satisfaction.

i.       My family was visiting for reasons that will soon be disclosed, and they grabbed me for dinner. We ate some delicious pizza at Delphino’s.

j.       Returned to dorm, worked on physics tutorial.

k.     Went to Denny Field to play basketball. Met a guy in Phys 122B, who had transferred in from the normal physics 121 section and was struggling. Talked to him for a while; it sounded like several people were in his position, forced into honors physics because the other sections were full, and not understanding what they were getting themselves into. Bummer. I offered to take a look at anything he was particularly struggling with. He left for his apartment, and I shot around for a while.

l.       Returned to dorm, brushed teeth, then played Mario Kart and Smash Bros in the lounge for about an hour. It was fun, but I played extremely poorly J.

m.   Wrote this log and hit the hay.