Unit information: Particle Physics in 2008/09

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Unit name Particle Physics
Unit code PHYS32012
Credit points 10
Level of study H/6
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director Professor. Nick Brook
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

The award of 120 credit points of units at level I comprising programme in Physics, Physics with Astrophysics, a joint honours programme in Mathematics and Physics or Physics and Philosophy. Either PHYS22030 (Quantum Physics 203) or PHYS22010 (Quantum Physics 201)

Co-requisites

None

School/department School of Physics
Faculty Faculty of Science

Description including Unit Aims

This unit further develops the formalism underlying interaction of quarks and leptons using relativistic 4-vectors and Feynman diagrams. The concepts and implications of symmetries and conservation laws are introduced. The electroweak interaction is described using the concept of the propagator. Hadron physics, the strong coupling constant, asymptotic freedom, deep-inelastic scattering, Cabibbo mixing and estimates of particle decay rates are also introduced. Mechanisms of energy-loss of high-energy particles are also described. this unit is a pre-requisite for Level M PHYSM0800 Particle Physics 408 and PHYSM2300 Current topics in Particle Physics 423.