PHY3052 - Module Description

MODULE TITLE	Nuclear and High Energy Physics					CREDIT VALUE	15
MODULE CODE	PHY3052		MODULE CONVENER			Prof. E. Hendry

DURATION	TERM	1	2	3	Number Students Taking Module (anticipated)		118
	WEEKS		T2:01-11

DESCRIPTION – summary of the module content (100 words)

This module is an introduction to nuclear and particle physics delivered as a series of lectures and integrated self-study packs presenting topics as a series of keynote areas forming the foundations of the subject. This is a core module for all Physics programmes and is supported by Stage 3 tutorials and problems classes.

MODULE AIMS – intentions of the module

Investigations of the atomic nucleus and, of the fundamental forces that determine nuclear structure, offer fascinating insights into the nature of the physical world. The tools for probing these systems are high-energy particle accelerators and, more recently, colliding-beam systems. This module, aims to give students a broad overview of the subject matter, and encouragement to seek further information.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

describe the key properties of the atomic nucleus and explain these properties with the aid of an underlying theoretical framework;
identify sequences of particles as energy excitations of a ground state;
identify the quantum numbers that distinguish these sequences and use their conservation to analyse production processes;
state the relevant conservation laws and use them in analysing meson decays;
describe the basic weak interaction processes and the significant experiments that elucidate the nature of these;
describe the quark model and be able to construct the quark composition of particles;
explain the significance of symmetry to the multiplet structure of elementary particles;
solve problems on topics included in the syllabus;

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

identify significant applications which make use of nuclear physics, and explain the role of nuclear physics in these applications;

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:

give qualitative descriptions of complicated theories;
reason logically within a set of given constraints;
identify significant strands in a mass of confusing data.

SYLLABUS PLAN – summary of the structure and academic content of the module

Nuclear structure
Nuclear forces; liquid-drop model; Segrè curve and interpretation. Shell model; evidence for 'magic' numbers;
Nuclear spin (SS1)
Conservation of spin and parity in nuclear decays. Nuclear spin resonance and magnetic resonance imaging.
Instability and modes of decay
α-decay, simple version of tunnelling theory; β-decay, neutrino theory, summary of Fermi theory; Kurie plot. γ-decay; nuclear decay schemes.
Beta decay theory (SS2)
Fermi theory of beta decay. Selection rules. Breaking of parity conservation in beta decay.
Nuclear reactions
Energetics; Q-values; reaction thresholds. Compound nucleus model, partial widths. Resonance reactions; Breit-Wigner formula. Fission and Fusion.
The neutrino (SS3)
Neutrino mixing angles and oscillation lengths. Neutrino masses. Dirac vs Majorana neutrinos
Introduction to particle physics
Leptons, nucleons, hadrons, quarks and baryons. Symmetries and groups.
QED
Relativistic quantum theory of electromagnetic interactions; antiparticles, electrodynamics of spinless particles, Dirac equation, electrodynamics of spin-1/2 particles.
The Casimir force and QED (SS4)
Origin of the Casimir force. Zero point energy. High order corrections to interaction strengths in QED. Calculating interactions strengths in QED. Extensions to strong and weak forces.
Partons
Structure of hadrons, gluons.
QCD
Relativistic quantum theory of the strong interactions of quarks and gluons.
Symmetry in the Standard Model (SS5)
Local symmetry in the Standard Model. Discrete symmetry: parity, charge conjugation and time reversal, CPT theorem. CP violation in the weak and strong forces.
Weak-interactions
General structure, non-conservation of parity, massive neutrinos, neutrino experiments. Inverse β-decay. Two-neutrino experiment. CP violation in β-decay.
Gauge symmetries
Gauge bosons

LEARNING AND TEACHING

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities

25 hours

Guided independent study

125 hours

Placement/study abroad

0 hours

DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS