BSc Physics with Theoretical Physics / Course details

Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics

To introduce the fundamental constituents of matter and the forces between them, and to explore how these lead to the main features of the structure and interactions of subatomic systems (particles and nuclei).

On completion successful students will be able to:

1. Outline the basic constituents of matter and the fundamental forces between them.
2. Represent elementary processes by simple Feynman diagrams.
3. Use symmetries and conservation laws to identify the forces responsible for particular
reactions and decays.
4. Use the quark model to explain the patterns of light hadrons.
5. Use simple models to explain the patterns of nuclear masses, sizes and decays.
6. Apply the independent-particle model to simple ground-state properties of nuclei.

 1. Basic concepts
Quarks, hadrons and leptons
Strong, electromagnetic and weak forces
Symmetries and conservation laws
Parity and charge conjugation
Feynman diagrams and exchange forces
Decay rates and scattering cross sections
Quark model for light hadrons
Parity violation in the weak interaction

2. Nuclei
Nuclear forces
Nuclear sizes
Semi-empirical mass formula
Nuclear stability
Alpha decay
Shell model

3. Particles
Three generations
Flavours and flavour mixing
Quark model with three flavours
Heavy-quark hadrons
CP violation
The origin (s) of mass

Feedback will be offered by tutors in example classes. These classes will be based on weekly example sheets; solutions will be issued.

Recommended texts:
B. R. Martin, Nuclear and Particle Physics: An Introduction, 2nd ed. (Wiley)

Supplementary reading:
S. S. M. Wong, Introductory Nuclear Physics (Wiley)
K. S. Krane, Introductory Nuclear Physics (Wiley)
B. R. Martin and G. Shaw, Particle Physics (Wiley)
D. H. Perkins, Introduction to High Energy Physics (CUP)