Department of Physics, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
PH20016 Particles, nuclei & stars |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Intermediate |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: EX 100% |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must take PH10001 or take PH10048 and while taking this unit you must take PH20013 |
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Aims: The aims of this unit are to review our current picture of elementary particles and discuss the forces between them, to describe properties and reactions of atomic nuclei and to discuss how these enable us to understand the origin of the Universe and the elements, stars and galaxies within it.
Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to: * describe the characteristics of the fundamental forces, and quote and use conservation laws to determine allowed particle reactions; * apply decay laws to problems in particle and nuclear physics, and define and perform simple calculations on cross section and centre of mass frame; * discuss binding in nuclei and explaing the energetics and mechanisms of radioactive decay; * describe the liquid drop and shell models of nuclei and use them to calculate and interpret nuclear properties; * describe the physical processes involved in fission and fusion reactions and in stellar nucleosynthesis; * give a qualitative description of the early stages of the Universe, the condensation of particles, nuclei and the evolution of stars. Skills: Numeracy T/F A, Problem Solving T/F A. Content: Particle physics (4 hours): Conservation laws; decays and reactions. Particle decay laws, half life and mean lifetime. Unification of forces. Recent developments in particle physics (e.g. pentaquarks, neutrino oscillations). The nucleus (7 hours): Nucleon interactions and binding energy. Nuclear size and mass (isotopes and isobars). Radioactive decay; beta-decay, electron and positron emission. K-capture. Alpha decay; energetics and simplified tunnelling theory. The liquid drop model and semi-empirical mass formula. The shell model; nuclear spin, excited states. Reactions, fission and fusion (5 hours): Centre of mass frame. Scattering. Spontaneous fission; fission products. Induced fission; chain reactions, delayed neutrons. Nuclear fusion reactions; principles of fusion reactions. The cosmic connection (6 hours): Stellar evolution. Stellar nucleosynthesis. Stellar death; neutron stars, supernova, cosmic ray bursts. The Big Bang. Hubble's Law. Cosmic background radiation and ripples therein. Separation of unified forces. Inflation theory. Formation of elementary particles. Cosmic nucleosynthesis. |