FYSS4300 Particle Physics (8 cr)

Open the course unit brochure on Sisu
Study level:
Advanced studies
Grading scale:
0-5
Language:
English
Responsible organisation:
Department of Physics
Curriculum periods:
2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024

Description

PART 1: PHENOMENOLOGY AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS

  • Particle physics terminology

  • Particle content of the Standard Model, interactions between elementary particles

  • Feyman diagrams

  • Relativistic description of collision kinematics

  • Cross section and decay width

  • Quantum numbers and conservation laws for elementary particles

  • Space-time symmetries and conserved quantities: translation and momentum, rotation and angular momentum, reflection and parity, charge conjugation and C-parity

  • Isospin symmetry, quantum numbers for hadrons and their excited states

  • Quark model description of hadrons: color and color confinement

Part 2: Standard Model of particle physics

  • Foundations of classical field theory

  • Basics of group theory, especially groups U(1), SU(2) and SU(3)

  • Lagrange density, Euler-Lagrange equations of motion, Noether’s theorem

  • Gauge symmetry in classical electrodynamics

  • Relativistic quantum mechanics: Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations

  • Quantum Electrodynamics

  • Quantum Chromodynamics

  • Electroweak unification theory

  • Spontaneous symmetry breaking and the Higgs mechanism

  • Application of Feynman rules on the calculation of cross sections at leading order in the perturbation theory

  • CKM matrix and quark mixing

  • Experimental methods in particle physics 

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course, the student

  • Is familiar with the structure of matter, knows the elementary particles and their mutual interactions

  • Can apply special relativity in the particle physics context

  • Can explain the role of conservation laws in scattering and decay processes

  • Understands the structure of quantum electrodynamics, quantum chromodynamics and the electroweak unification theory based on gauge symmetries, and is familiar with the phenomenology of these theories

  • Understands how elementary particles acquire their masses through the Higgs mechanism

  • Can describe scattering processes mathematically

  • Knows the basics of experimental methods in particle physics  

Description of prerequisites

  • FYSA2031 and FYSA2032 Quantum Mechanics A and B

  • FYSA2002 Modern Physics, part B (special relativity) 

Study materials

Lecture notes by Kari J. Eskola.

Literature

  • B.R. Martin and G. Shaw: Particle Physics (Wiley), ISBN 0471 97285
  • F. Halzen and A.D. Martin: Quarks & leptons, An introductory course in modern particle physics (Wiley), ISBN 0-471-88741-2

Completion methods

Method 1

Evaluation criteria:
Exercises and 2 half-course exams, or exercises and final exam. Example weights: exercises 1/3 and half-course exams 1/3+1/3 or final exam 2/3.
Time of teaching:
Period 1, Period 2
Select all marked parts

Method 2

Description:
This completion method is intended for students for whom method 1 is not possible for specific reasons (e.g. language, living elsewhere, recommendation for individual study arrangements). Contact the teacher before enrolling to the course via this completion method. This completion method should be agreed on with the lecturer.
Evaluation criteria:
Exercises and final exam.
Select all marked parts
Parts of the completion methods
x

Teaching (8 cr)

Type:
Participation in teaching
Grading scale:
0-5
Evaluation criteria:
Exercises and 2 half-course exams, or exercises and final exam. Example weights: exercises 1/3 and half-course exams 1/3+1/3 or final exam 2/3.
Language:
English
Study methods:

Lectures and exercises + 2 half-course exams or final exam. 

Teaching

x

Independent study (8 cr)

Type:
Independent study
Grading scale:
0-5
Evaluation criteria:
Exercises and final exam.
Language:
English
Study methods:

Self-study, exercises, final exam. 

Teaching