Nuclei and particles (5404)
  
Coordinating lecturer :Prof. dr. Laura TAMASSIA 

Language of instruction : English
Credits: 6,0
  
Period: semester 2 (6sp)
  
2nd Chance Exam1: Yes
  
Final grade2: Numerical
 
Sequentiality
 
   Mandatory sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 
  Following programme components must have been included in your study programme in a previous education period
    Quantum Mechanics 1 (1442) 3.0 stptn
    Quantum Mechanics 2 (1807) 4.0 stptn
    Quantum Mechanics 3 (3992) 4.0 stptn
    Relativity (3344) 3.0 stptn
 
   Advising sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 
  Following programme components are advised to also be included in your study programme up till now.
    Elektrodynamics (3477) 5.0 stptn
    Electromagnetism (0174) 5.0 stptn
 

Content

Nuclei:

- Nuclear properties: mass and binding energy, nuclear radius, nuclear angular momentum and parity, nuclear electromagnetic moments, nuclear excited states

- Nuclear models: Fermi Gas Model, Shell Model, Collective Model: nuclear vibrations and rotations

- Radioactive decay: radioactive decay law; alpha, beta and gamma decay.

- Elements of nuclear reactions, nuclear fission and fusion.

Particles:

- Phenomenological introduction to the Standard Model: particles, interactions, conservation laws

- Relativistic kinematics

- Symmetries: isospin, parity, charge conjugation, CP violation, time reversal and CPT theorem

- Feynman calculus: Fermi Golden Rule for decay and scattering, Feynman rules for a scalar toy theory, amplitude and lifetime/cross-section in simple processes to lowest order

- Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations, solutions to the Dirac equation, bilinear covariants

- Quantum Electrodynamics: Feynman rules, cross-section in simple processes to lowest order.

Orientation and employability:

- Nuclear physics research, with attention to Belgian-Flemish research groups and international collaborations and experiments

- Nuclear physics in industry and medical sector

- Particle physics research, with attention to Belgian-Flemish research groups and international collaborations and experiments

- Particle physics in industry and medical sector.

Recent research topic in nuclear and/or particle physics:

- Each student chooses a theme he/she is interested in, related to the content of the course

- For this theme the student, coached by the instructor, searches and selects a recent scientific article

- The student reads the article and prepares a written paper about it to be handed in before the exams and to be presented at the oral exam.


Organisational and teaching methods
Organisational methods  
Lecture ✔  
Small group session ✔  
Teaching methods  
Paper ✔  


Evaluation

Semester 2 (6,00sp)

Evaluation method
Written exam66 %
Closed-book ✔
Open-book ✔
Other exam34 %
Other:The student writes a paper about a recent research topic in nuclear
and/or particle physics, to be submitted by a given deadline, and
presents this paper during an oral exam. The paper is based on a recent
scientific article chosen by the student during the course.
Evaluation conditions (participation and/or pass)✔
Conditions Submitting the paper is mandatory. The paper must be submitted and assessed as sufficient in order to receive a pass.
Consequences A student whose paper is not assessed as sufficient, will receive F-fail as final grade for the programme component, regardless of the result of his/her exam.

Second examination period

Evaluation second examination opportunity different from first examination opprt
No
Explanation evaluation1. A student who did not submit the paper in the first examination
opportunity, will be able to submit the paper in the second examination
opportunity before a specific date communicated by the examiner. 2.
A student whose paper was assessed as sufficient (pass) in the first
examination opportunity, will keep this pass when determining the final
grade for the programme component in the second examination opportunity.
3. A student whose paper was not assessed as sufficient, will be
able to rework the paper once and will have to present the report(s)
before a specific date communicated by the examiner. The student will be
able to choose to transfer the partial grade he/she obtained in the
first examination opportunity for the exam as partial grade in the
second examination opportunity, providing this score was at least 8/20.
4. A pass for the paper will automatically be transferred to the
next academic year in the event that the student will have to re-enroll
in the programme component in the next academic year. 5. In the
event that a student has not passed the programme component at the end
of the academic year, the student may request to transfer the partial
grade he/she obtained for the exam to the next examination opportunity
in the case of re-enrollment, providing that the student obtained a
minimum score of 50% for the exam. A lower score will not be
transferrable to a following re-enrollment in the programme component.
 

Compulsory textbooks (bookshop)
 

Textbook 1:

Introduction to Elementary Particles, David Griffiths, second, revised edition, Wiley

ISBN: 9783527406012
 

Compulsory course material
 

Slides of the course part 1: Nuclei.

Slides of the course part 2: Particles.

Scientific article chosen by the student during the course.
 

Recommended reading
  Introductory Nuclear Physics,Kenneth S. Krane,John Wiley & Sons, 0-471-80553-X


Learning outcomes
Bachelor of Mathematics
  •  EC 

    • EC 10: A graduate of the Bachelor of Mathematics programme has knowledge of a number of applications of mathematics.

  •  EC 

    • EC 11: A graduate of the Bachelor of Mathematics programme has acquired basic knowledge in another scientific discipline.

 
Bachelor of Physics
  •  EC 

    • EC 1: A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics knows theprevailing theories of physicssuch as quantum mechanics, the (special) theory of relativity, electrodynamics, (statistical)physics and classical mechanics and is able to apply these theories in a number of predominant fieldsof physics.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics knows the basics of quantum mechanics and can apply these in a number of important areas of physics.  

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics knows the basics of the (special) relativity theory and can apply these in a number of important areas of physics. 

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics knows the basics of elektrodynamics and can apply these in a number of important areas of physics.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics knows the basics of classic mechanics and can apply these in a number of important areas of physics. 

  •  EC 

    • EC 2: A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics programme is able to combine various basic theories of physics in studying more complex phenomena which appear for example in solid state physics, astrophysics, atomic physics, nuclear and particle physics and biophysics.

  •  EC 

    • EC 3: A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics programme is able to use models and techniques from physics and other scientific domains to solve multidisciplinary problems.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can describe and explain models and techniques from physics and other scientific fields.

     

  •  EC 

    • EC 5: A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics programme gets acquainted with recent international scientific research, is able to consult international scientific sources and is able to accurately estimate their reliability.

     
  •  DC 
    		• A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics is introduced to recent scientific international research.
     
  •  DC 
    		• A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can find information from professional literature and international scientific research.
     
  •  DC 
    		• A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can accurately assess the reliability of international scientific sources.
  •  EC 

    • EC 7: A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics programme is able to apply the mathematical methods which are used in physics and possesses good numerical skills, including computational techniques and programming skills.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can construct a logically accurate reasoning.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can reproduce, explain and apply mathematical notions and properties.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can translate a physics problem to a mathematical formula. 

  •  EC 

    • EC 8: A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics programme is able to acquire, in an independent and self-managing manner,basic knowledge in a discipline of physics which has not been dealt with within the programme.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can independently read and understand new knowledge. 

  •  EC 

    • EC 12: A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics is able to communicate, report and present to colleaguesin a correct and appropriate manner.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can report in writing to peers on one's own work.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can report verbally to peers on one's own work.

     
  •  DC 

    • A graduate of the Bachelor of Physics can verbally defend one's own work to peers.

 
  EC = learning outcomes      DC = partial outcomes      BC = evaluation criteria  
Offered inTolerance3
3rd year Bachelor of Physics option Experimental Physics J
3rd year Bachelor of Physics option Theoritical Physics, Astronomy and Gravity J
3th year Bachelor of Physics option free choice addition J
3th year Bachelor of Physics option onderwijs J
3th year Bachelor of Physics option twin J
Bachelor of Mathematics - verbreding twin J
Exchange Programme Physics J



1   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.12.2, section 2.
2   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.15.1, section 3.
3   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.16.9, section 2.