Success... of sorts

1.36pm. The second half of the morning was rushed, to say the least; it turns out that Jimena (the lab tutor) had miscalculated and thought we had an hour more than we actually did.

So, we used one further source, obtained readings for that at different discriminator readings, plotted a calibration graph (which needed quite a lot of tweaking). This then enabled us to start taking proper measurements of Compton scattering.

For this we used a caesium source, we were given the angle of 20 degrees to use, and then started to take measurements again of the scattering, then again without the brass in the way, to measure the background radiation of the source.

This took a good while to achieve (two minutes per level, then an additional two minutes without the brass in the way), multiplied by however many results we got.

Sergei and I, sharing a lighter hearted moment, just before things started to get tense.

Things were getting very tense towards the end, and Roy and Kirsten had to disappear about ten minutes before the end, in order to take receipt of the legal paperwork. So that left me to use the Gauss Peak Fit Excel spreadsheet to produce a curve, give a nice value for the peak.

At this point we ran out of time, and we were one of two groups who were unable in the time to produce a final value to go in the table. However, I have promised Jimena that I will do some work between now and tomorrow morning and get a final value for her, so that the table can be completed. She will then work on the table, prove that the graph is a straight line (it certainly looks that way from the quick glance I gave the tabulated data), and thereby prove that electrons have momentum. Nobel prize please.

Walked up to the top of the hill back to Grey. Roy and Kirsten were sitting in reception looking distinctly serious. Earlier on Kirsten whispered to me that Roy will have to go to Court on Tuesday. Not a nice way to spend a day.

Had a speedy lunch of beef chilli with a few bits and pieces, with Paul and Andy. This afternoon is our afternoon off. The others want me to join them in having a look around Durham, but to be honest, I think I may feign the need for a long lie down and invite them to go on without me. I'd like to go round Durham but to be honest I'd quite like a little time to myself, just to straighten my head out.

It's a very strange environment; even when you know you don't have to rush there is still a pervasive sense that there is never enough time to do everything.

So, my plan for the afternoon is a quick shower to freshen up, a change of clothes, go up into Durham, take Sergei, take some photos, maybe have a look inside the DSU to see what's there, and generally unwind. I also need to work on my results from the Compton scattering lab, and see if I can get that figure calculated for Jimena, so that she doesn't chase after me with a big stick.

More later on.