Syllabus - Undergraduate Nuclear and Particle Physics

 

Class Meetings: 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.   --  Tuesdays and Thursdays

Nuclear and Particle Physics Research Facility (NaPPRF) Conference Room

 

Instructor:                Dr. Sebastian Kuhn

                               NaPPRF (1021  47 th St.) Room 105
Phone 683 - 5804  (622-6640 home); FAX 683-5809
Email: skuhn@odu.edu

                               WWW: http://www.physics.odu.edu/~kuhn/
Office hours: By appointment (ask me in class or email me!)

 

 

Required Textbook:   Povh/Rith/Scholz/Zetsche: Particles and Nuclei, 2nd ed., Springer Verlag (1999).

Optional Textbooks:   K.S. Krane: Introductory Nuclear Physics, Wiley & Sons (1988)
S.S.M. Wong: Introductory Nuclear Physics - 2nd edition, Wiley & Sons (1998)
P.E. Hodgson, E. Gadioli and E. Gadioli Erba: Introductory Nuclear Physics, Clarendon Press Oxford 1997.

                                P.J. Siemens and A.S. Jensen: Elements of Nuclei, Addison Wesley. ("Classic" Nuclear Physics.)

                                H. Frauenfelder and E. Henley: Subatomic Physics, Prentice-Hall (1974). (Nice book, if somewhat outdated)

                                W.R. Leo: Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments, Springer (1994). (THE standard text on experimental methods).

 

NOTE: Several textbooks and additional material have been placed in the NaPPRF Conference Room (reserved library shelf). Please feel free to peruse but leave in the room (unless you ask me first).


INTRODUCTION

 

This is a one-semester course on Nuclear and Hadronic Physics at the advanced undergraduate level. My aim is to give an overview of the different subfields of Nuclear Physics, as well as lay the groundwork for an active understanding of problems at the forefront of today's research. (Due to the rather limited time available, there has to be some selection, of course). In particular, since modern Nuclear Physics has a large overlap with Particle Physics, some of the relevant results of that field will be introduced, as well. The course assumes some basic know­ledge of quantum mechanics as well as electromagnetism.

 

We will follow the textbook fairly closely, but I will present additional information in class (and skip some more advanced topics). Everyone is strongly encouraged to consult the optional textbooks.

 

Grading Scheme:       Approximately 40% based on homework problem sets, 15% on each of the 2 "midterm" tests, and 30% on the final exam. The final exam will be take-home.

 

Policy on Cooperation

I consider it advantageous if students cooperate with each other on homework and other course-related items. In fact, I encourage students very strongly to get together for regular discussions and to tackle assignments together.

However, I require that each student turn in their own (hand- or computer- written) version of each homework and test assignment. Also, NO cooperation is allowed on the Final (take home) Exam  everybody has to do ALL of the work her/himself. I consider it unethical and a vio­lation of the honor code to copy the solution of a homework problem or an Exam ver­batim from another student's solution or from a book. All material used (other than informal discussions) must be properly cited.

In this context, I want to remind everyone of the University policy: Any official sanction for cheating, including the assignment of a grade of F for a quiz or for a course as a penalty for cheating, will appear on the student's permanent academic transcript.