Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics

Full course description

This course provides an overview of the key concepts in elementary particle physics and serves as a preparatory course for a subsequent master study on Particle Physics.

Particle Physics provides us with an understanding of the fundamental particles in the universe and the    interactions between them. Students will be taught which fundamental particles exist, what their           properties are, and how they interact through the three fundamental forces, with the theories of Quantum Electrodynamics, the weak force, and Quantum Chromodynamics. We will use Feynman diagrams and Fermi's golden rule to calculate interaction cross-sections for a simple toy model. In addition, we will explore the beautiful concept of symmetry in nature, and its spontaneous breaking via the Higgs mechanism. The course consists of six lectures and related tutorials: particles, forces, waves, symmetries, scattering and detectors. In the lectures the material will be presented, while skills will be applied to exercises in the tutorial classes. In the last weeks, time will be reserved to work on specific topics for the group projects.  A seminar will be organized to present the group work to each other.

This course requires a good understanding of Quantum Mechanics. Special relativity is also inherent in Modern Particle Physics, however for this course any necessary concepts will be taught in the lectures.