FY526: Introduction to particle physics (5 ECTS)

STADS: 07008701

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.
The course is given intensively in the first half of the semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: ryttov@cp3.dias.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None.

Academic preconditions:
Students taking the course are expected to have knowledge of classical mechanics, the theory of special relativity and introductory quantum mechanics.

Course introduction
At the end of the course the student will have a firm foundation in modern particle physics and phenomenology. The course therefore establishes an important foundation for the student who wishes to continue to study particle physics and relativistic quantum field theory at a higher level.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses FY504 Classical Physics, FY521 Introductory Quantum Mechanics I and FY522 Introductory Quantum Mechanics II, and gives an academic basis for studying the topics of particle physics, relativistic quantum field theory, astrophysics, and the theory of general relativity and cosmology that are part of the degree.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• Give the competence to understand and describe the world of the elementary particles using the fundamental laws of nature. 
• Give skills to identify the fundamental physical interactions and mechanisms that underlie the observed phenomena observed in modern experiments.
• Give knowledge and understanding of elementary particles, the Standard Model and the building blocks of the universe.

Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• Identify which fundamental interactions that underlie a given phenomena.
• Take advantage of the implications of conserved symmetries.
• Calculate amplitudes and scattering cross sections for several different QED processes.

Subject overview
The following main topics are contained in the course:

• The eightfold way.
• Quarks and leptons.
• Mesons and baryons.
• Relativistic kinematics.
• Symmetries. Both continuous and discrete. Isospin and P, C, and T.
• The Dirac equation, the Klein-Gordon equation and Maxwells equations and gauge invariance.
• Feynman diagrams and Feynman rules.
• Møller and Bhabha scattering. Electron-positron annihilation and creation.

Literature

• David Griffiths: Introduction to Elementary Particles.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:

1. Oral examination. Evaluated by internal censorship by the Danish 7-mark scale. (5 ECTS). (07008702).

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 20 hours
Skills training phase: 26 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 26 hours

Educational activities
Activities during the study phase: Problemsolving.Educational form
The intro phase consists of lectures in which the central topics of the course are reviewed. This is done both with general theory and via examples. Even though most of the teaching is based on lectures there is a strong focus on involving the students via questions and discussion.

In the tutorials it is expected that the students develop their skills via problem solving and discussions with the teacher and among them selves. The students will often solve problems at the blackboard with the help of everybody else.

Language
This course is taught in Danish or English, depending on the lecturer. However, if international students participate, the teaching language will always be English.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.