Inside particle detectors: calorimeters

Physicist Jim Pivarski explains how particle detectors tell us about the smallest constituents of matter. The previous article in this series introduced tracking, a technique that allows physicists to see the trajectories of individual particles. The biggest limitation of tracking is that only charged particles ionize the medium that forms clouds, bubbles, discharges or digital signals. Neutral particles are invisible to any form of tracking. Calorimetry, which now complements tracking in most p...