I was wondering if anyone could tell me in simple terms how scientists actually work with or handle particles? I'm a budding 11 year old homeschooling scientist. Thanks!

There are many types of particles so there are many ways to "handle" them.

Gamma rays are split into electron and positron and these particles are "measured" by many ways and the intitial gamma ray's energy and direction can be determined.

What type of equipment is used in this process.

If the particles are charged, then you can use an electric or magnetic field to direct them.

This is what a CRT (cathode ray tube) does. CRTs were used in old style television sets and computer monitors and they used these big electro-magnets to direct electrons.

I have no special knowledge, but I would assume that particle accelerators make use of the same principles.

I'm not sure how one "handles" neutral particles like neutrons or neutrinos. I'm only vaguely aware that we've actually detected neutrinos. I don't think we're doing anything with them.

As for Neutrons, I would guess they have a source and line everywhere with an absorber (like lead or some other dense material) except where they want the things to go.

Try googling:

"how particle accelerators work"

"explanation CRT"

"controlling neutrons"

or something like that. (Those searches may not work, but keep messing around in that direction and I'm sure you'll find something.)

Thanks that helps a lot!

Homeschooling is a cheat! You should be intensely handicapped by public education like the vulgate mob. The best way to guarantee equality is to cut everybody down to size. Every child left behind! That said...

How big are your particles? Are they charged? Handling massed uncharge particles requires some not inconsiderable degree of cleverness.

Google
"particle traps" 18,400 hits
"atom trap" 21,200 hits
"neutral particle trap" 26 hits
"optical molasses" 19,900 hits
"ion guns" 15,400 hits
"neutron lens" 222 hits
"neutron bottle" 87 hits
"atomic fountain" 15,500 hits
"atom interferometer" 17,900 hits
"neutron interferometer" 978 hits
"neutron optics" 25,100 hits
"electrostatic lens" design 9720 hits
"magnetic lens" design 11,400 hits
"quadrupole lens" 10,500 hits
"particle accelerators" design 251,000 hits
synchrotron wiggler design 54,500 hits
synchrotron undulator design 75,200 hits

http://www.scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/magnets/gauss.html
http://www.quantum.univie.ac.at/research/matterwave/c60/

Diddling with photons is called "optics." If you want to diddle with photons that aren't there, try the Casimir effect.

Google
neutron bounce gravity 42,100 hits

Very interesting!

When the particles are in the particle eccelerator how do the scientists actually see what is happening to them?

Purple,

Clever question - you may find this of interest:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/atom-smasher.htm

This link shows different ways of detecting particles:

http://www.darvill.clara.net/nucrad/detect.htm

Regards,

Blacknad.