Physics 556
Fundamental Particle Physics
Spring 2018
Home Page: http://www.pa.uky.edu/~gardner/p556/
MWF 9:00 - 9:50AM CP 111
Syllabus
Fundamental Particle Physics
Spring 2018
Home Page: http://www.pa.uky.edu/~gardner/p556/
MWF 9:00 - 9:50AM CP 111
Syllabus
General Information:
Lecturer: Prof. Susan Gardner
Required textbook:
Recommended textbook:
Recommended textbook:
Phy 556 is a first course in fundamental particle physics.
The goal of the subject is to discover
the most basic constituents of Nature and the patterns of their interactions.
We hope, too, to discover the theoretical reasons for these features, meaning that
we would like to identify the minimum theoretical assumptions needed
to rationalize the particles that we see and the patterns that we find.
This journey is almost certainly incomplete because
we have found, through astrometric observations, that
the energy content of the Universe appears largely
in forms we do not know --- namely, in dark matter and dark energy.
Thus it is a very exciting time to study particle physics!
In this course we embark on a journey of rediscovery:
we recap and explain what led us to our current position of
understanding of elementary particle physics. We will describe the
elementary constituents
of the matter that we know --- they are fermions ,
the quarks and leptons, as well as what we know about their interactions and how
we describe these patterns theoretically.
Physics 556 is one of a two-semester sequence in subatomic physics.
The other semester is Phy 555, Fundamental Nuclear Physics, which is a survey of nuclear
physics in all its myriad aspects.
A knowledge of quantum mechanics,
at the level of Physics 520, is required. Students will find familarity with the
topics of Physics 521 (the second semester of undergraduate quantum mechanics) useful.
The course relies largely on the required and recommended
textbooks, though material
from other sources, both textbooks and monographs, will be integrated
into the presentation. Note that the class lectures are the intellectual
property of the professor and can only be recorded for a student's
personal use. Recordings for any business or commerical purpose are
prohibited.
The primary learning outcome is a basic understanding of the principles that
drive our understanding of elementary particle physics.
Office: CP 361
Phone: 257-4391
E-mail: gardner "@" pa.uky.edu
Office Hours: TBA and by appointment.
D. Griffiths,
Introduction to Elementary Particles (Second, Revised Edition) (2010).
T. W. Donnelly, J. A. Formaggio, B. R. Holstein, R. G. Milner, and B. Surrow,
Foundations of Nuclear and Particle Physics (2017).
M. Thomson,
Modern Particle Physics (2013).
Course Description and Prerequisites
Course Topics
(to be adjusted and/or treated as time permits; note the indicated chapters reference
Griffiths):
| A Particle ``Zoo'' [Ch. 1]] |
|---|
| Overview of Electromagnetic, Strong, and Weak Forces [Ch. 2] |
| Relativistic Kinematics [Ch. 3] |
| Symmetries and Conservation Laws [Ch. 4] |
| Detectors and Accelerators |
| Feynman Calculus [Ch. 6] |
| Dirac Equation [Ch. 7] |
| Quantum Electrodynamics |
| Strong and Weak Interactions |
| Aspects of Gauge Theories |
| Neutrinos |
| The (as-yet) Undiscovered |
Course Grades
Your grade will be determined in the following manner: from problem sets (50%), from an oral presentation of a research paper (25%), and from a written final examination (25%).
The bulk of the grade in the course is associated with the problem sets, and rightly so. Working significant problem sets is necessary to develop a deeper understanding of the material. You may discuss the problems with others, and even collaborate, but you are required to write out your solutions independently. The problem sets will be issued in approximately two-week intervals, and late work will not be accepted.
In lieu of a midterm examination, you are asked to choose a research paper(s) of interest to you within the sphere of topics touched upon in Physics 556 (please see me for advice and/or suggestions) and then to present that topic in a 15 minute presentation. [N.B. It is inappropriate to pick a paper which is closely connected to your thesis research.] We will have our presentations at a to-be-scheduled time, possibly during the last week of classes.
The bulk of the grade in the course is associated with the problem sets, and rightly so. Working significant problem sets is necessary to develop a genuine understanding of the material. You may discuss the problems with others, and even collaborate, but you are required to write out your solutions independently. The problem sets will be issued in one-two week intervals, and late work will not be accepted. In the event that our class is large, I reserve the right to institute ``die'' homework; that is, for each problem set, the homework problem(s) that are actually graded will be determined by the roll of a die. Note that complete problem set solutions will be available on reserve in the Science library.
Examples of excusable absences are (University Senate Rule 5.2.4.2):
It is good for you to discuss the course material with others, but you really must perform all your course work *independently*. You should write out your solutions by yourself, expressing your solutions in your own words. Cheating and plagiarism in tests or exams, indeed, in all aspects of the course, are very serious academic offenses. Violators of the academic code are subject to punishment in accordance to the University Senate Rules in Sections 6.3 and 6.4.
On-line Course Evaluation
The Course Evaluations will be made available 15 days before the Monday of finals week.