Last updated 2009-Mar-25

Physics 474, Introduction to particle physics, Spring 2009

Teaching

The course meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11am-12noon in Crow 205

Prof. Mark Alford

Office: Compton 358; Phone: 5-5034; Email: p474@physics.wustl.edu

Office hour: Wednesday, 3-4pm. (Department colloquium is at 4pm.)

Students are also welcome to make appointments to see Prof. Alford at other times.

Course materials

Homework assigned so far:	PostScript version	PDF version
Suggested reading:	follow this link
Standard model interaction vertices	PostScript version	PDF version	PNG image
Super-Kamiokande transparencies	PostScript version	PDF version
Flavor diagram of the lightest, lowest-spin hadrons	PostScript version	PDF version	PNG image
Light hadron spectrum	PostScript version	PDF version	PNG image
Flavor diagram of all light hadrons	PostScript version	PDF version	PNG image

For more detailed information on particle physics, see the particle data group website.

For more entertaining information on particle physics, see The Particle Adventure.

Books

Course Textbook:	Particle Physics by Martin and Shaw, 3rd edition, ISBN 978-0-470-03294-7 You must own a copy of this book: the course will follow it closely.
Other useful books:	Introduction to Elementary Particle Physics, by A. Bettini Particle Physics at the New Millennium, by B. Roe Nuclear and particle physics, an introduction, by B. Martin Introduction to High Energy Physics, by D. Perkins (on reserve in the physics library)

Course outline

This course will cover the modern "standard model" of particle physics, including the strong interaction, the weak interaction, and the role of symmetries and conservation laws. We will also discuss possible extensions to the standard model.

Grading

The final grade will be a weighted average of homework (30%), the midterm (30%) and the final exam (40%).

Homework:	Problem sets will be handed out every week. Students are expected to hand in the solutions on the due date, typically a Friday. Late homework will only be accepted by prior arrangement with Prof. Alford. In no case can homework be given a grade after the solutions have been distributed. Students are encouraged to form study groups and discuss the homework with each other, but each student must formulate his or her own solutions. When answering a question, you will usually only get partial credit if you just write down an answer, with no justification. To get full credit you need to give reasons why your answer is correct.
Midterm:	Wed March 4th, 2009, from 10am to noon or 11am to 1pm, in Compton 241
Final:	Tuesday May 5th 2009. The officially allocated time slot is 10:30am to 12:30pm, but the professor would like to offer more time, by allowing students to take the exam from 9:30am to 12:30pm, or 10am to 1pm. Please check your other final exam times, and let the professor know if there will be a conflict.
Exam rules:	These rules apply to both the midterm and the final. Each student may compile a single letter-size hand-written "crib sheet" of formulae. Both sides of the sheet may be used, but the sheet must be an original hand-written document, not a copy. Each student is expected to bring a calculator to the exam. The exam will include one question (perhaps slightly edited) that has previously appeared in the homework. When answering a question, you will usually only get partial credit if you just write down an answer, with no justification. To get full credit you need to give reasons why your answer is correct.

Course Evaluation

During the evaluation period you can supply your evaluation of the course at the course evaluation website.