May 1, 2018 (Vol. 38, No. 9)
Rating:
Strong Points: Particle characteristics and Wikipedia page links provided
Weak Points: Little content beyond Wikipedia information
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
In this zoo, you won’t find lions or tigers; rather, you will encounter subatomic species such as quarks, bosons, and leptons. The Particle Zoo app provides brief introductions to 19 particle species in total. Each entry is accompanied by a short text description as well as the particle’s classification, spin, charge, mass, and symbol. Links to the corresponding Wikipedia pages are also included in the entries. Granted, the app itself does not provide any in-depth information on any of the particles (perhaps because the primary motivation of the Particle Zoo app is to advertise that “plush” versions of the particles are available for purchase). However, the app is a unique reference for subatomic particles that gathers their relevant characteristics and the links to their collective Wikipedia pages all in one place. So for the “quarky” scientists out there, this zoo still warrants a visit.
