Experimental test of parity conservation in beta decay

E400611

Experimental test of parity conservation in beta decay is the landmark 1956–57 physics experiment led by Chien-Shiung Wu that demonstrated the violation of parity symmetry in weak interactions, overturning a fundamental assumption of particle physics.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf landmark experiment ⓘ
physics experiment ⓘ
weak interaction experiment ⓘ
alsoKnownAs Wu experiment ⓘ
Wu parity violation experiment ⓘ
linked to: Wu experiment
conductedBy Chien-Shiung Wu ⓘ
confirmedHypothesisOf Chen-Ning Yang ⓘ
linked to: C. N. Yang

Tsung-Dao Lee ⓘ
linked to: T. D. Lee
contributedTo Nobel Prize in Physics 1957 for Lee and Yang ⓘ
country United States ⓘ
demonstrated parity violation ⓘ
violation of parity symmetry in weak interactions ⓘ
field nuclear physics ⓘ
particle physics ⓘ
historicalSignificance marked the first clear observation of parity violation ⓘ
triggered major revisions of weak interaction theory ⓘ
influenced Standard Model of particle physics ⓘ
linked to: Standard Model
interactionTypeStudied weak interaction ⓘ
isExampleOf precision low-temperature experiment ⓘ
symmetry test in physics ⓘ
ledBy Chien-Shiung Wu ⓘ
measured angular distribution of emitted electrons ⓘ
asymmetry of beta emission relative to nuclear spin direction ⓘ
overturnedAssumption universal parity conservation in fundamental interactions ⓘ
performedAt Columbia University ⓘ
Nevis Laboratory ⓘ
preceded experiments on parity violation in muon decay ⓘ
experiments on parity violation in pion decay ⓘ
providedEvidenceFor Lee–Yang theory of parity nonconservation ⓘ
publicationYear 1957 ⓘ
publishedIn Physical Review ⓘ
relatedTo CP violation ⓘ
mirror symmetry ⓘ
parity transformation ⓘ
showed nonconservation of parity in weak interactions ⓘ
showedNotViolatedIn electromagnetic interaction ⓘ
strong interaction ⓘ
studies beta decay ⓘ
tests parity conservation ⓘ
parity symmetry ⓘ
timePeriod 1956–1957 ⓘ
usedIsotope 60Co ⓘ
cobalt-60 ⓘ
usedMethod low-temperature nuclear orientation ⓘ
polarization of cobalt-60 nuclei in a magnetic field ⓘ
usedProcess beta decay of polarized cobalt-60 nuclei ⓘ
year 1956 ⓘ
1957 ⓘ

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Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Chien-Shiung Wu → notableWork → Experimental test of parity conservation in beta decay ⓘ
Wu experiment → inspiredBy → Lee–Yang parity violation hypothesis ⓘ
linked to: Experimental test of parity conservation in beta decay
Wu experiment → confirmedPredictionOf → Lee–Yang parity violation theory ⓘ
linked to: Experimental test of parity conservation in beta decay
Wu experiment → alsoKnownAs → cobalt-60 beta decay parity violation experiment ⓘ
linked to: Experimental test of parity conservation in beta decay