NFYB13008U Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics

Skills
When the course is finished it is expected that the student is able to:

Nuclear Physics
Describe the nucleus as a system of nucleons  that are bound together by the strong interaction.
Explain the relevant energy and size scale and the experiments that allow to determine these.
Explain the liquid drop model and use the semi-empirical mass formula to calculate the binding energies and discuss limits of the stability of nuclei.
Describe the simplest nucleus  (the deuteron) and neutron-proton scattering from the Schrödinger equation applied to a square well.
Explain the spin-dependence of nucleon-nucleon from an analysis of the scattering cross-section (polarization).
Describe the shell-model with central potential (wood-saxon) and spin-orbit coupling and characterize energy states in terms of the relevant quantum numbers.
Expand the shell model to systems with non- spherical symmetry, including collective motion (rotation and vibration)
Explain alpha particle decay, fission and fusion reactions in potential models with barrier penetration.
Explain the Fermi theory of beta decay.
Demonstrate knowledge of the theory of electromagnetic transitions in nuclei.
Describe the basic features of the relativistic kinematics in heavy ion collisions.
Explain models and experiments for the study of quark-gluon plasma.
Apply the main concepts acquired in the the course to explain the priomordial and stellar nucleosynthesis.
Acquire a basic understanding of energy scales, masses and sizes relevant for nuclear phenomena.
Acquire a basic understanding of experiments that allow to probe nuclear properties.
Be able to read, understand and explain the essence of research articles in nuclear physics.  

Particle Physics
Explain the basic tools and concepts like anti-matter and virtual particles in particle physics and could use general terms such as luminosity, (partial) reaction cross sections, decay, resonance width and transition probabilities to make simple calculations.
Explain forces through the exchange of particles and therefrom assess forces reach.
Use special relativity (4-vectors and Lorenz transformations) in particle physics to solve simple quantitative particle physical problems
Use Feynman diagrams to analyze particle physical processes and decay and explain coupling constants and propagators in order to calculate them qualitatively.
Make calculations based on dimensional analysis of particle physical problems.
Describe the concept of symmetry and its implication in physics with a focus on the use of conservation laws in particle physics: spin angular momentum, parity (P), charge conjugation (C) to determine whether a particle physical process is possible through the use of conservation laws, and determine the JPC classification of particles.
Describe the ingredients in the Standard Model of particle physics and could
explain particles  (quarks, leptons and bosons) in the Standard model, their properties and characteristics in terms of quantum, decay and fundamental interactions via Feynman diagrams.
Describe the structure and static and dynamic properties of hadrons - mesons and baryons - using the quark model.
Explain how the quark model predicts multiplets of particles, their interactions and quarks color charge.
Explain the basic interactions in color quantum dynamics and how they are looking for properties such as self-interaction, continuous coupling constant, asymptotic freedom and jets.
Explain the weak interaction of charged currents of leptons and quarks, through the exchange of W particles and its low energy limit.
Describe the lepton-quark symmetry and universality, and quark mixing, leading to Cabibbo suppression and CKM matrices
Explain the weak interaction of neutral currents through the exchange of Z particles and describe the unification of the electromagnetic and weak interactions - the electroweak theory - which is based on the gauge invariance principle and leads to spontaneous symmetry breaking and Higgs mechanism.
Describe parity and CP breaking in the weak interaction and explain helicity and neutral kaon mixing.
Have basic knowledge of experimental detectors and techniques, as well as how particles can be detected by exploiting their specific interactions with matter.
Be able to read and explain the essence of a scientific article in experimental particle physics.
Describe some of the problems and limitations contained in the Standard Model.

Knowledge
After the course, the students will master the concepts and basic techniques of particle physics and nuclear physics. An active student will gain insight into particle physics Standard Model and nuclear physics models, as well as the coupling of particle and nuclear physics to evolution of the universe.

Competence
The students will be able to read and explain the main results of international articles in nuclear or particle physics.