Module description
Nuclear particles are discussed and the stability of nuclei related to radio-active decay processes. Scattering of particles by nuclei is treated in relation to models for nuclear interaction processes and for nuclear matter. The structural properties of nuclei are related to the nuclear shell model. Nuclear fission and fusion, and the generation of nuclear energy, are described. The different species of hadrons (strongly-interacting particles), with their main properties, are introduced, with relation to the quark model. The leptons (weakly-interacting particles, including neutrinos) are related to the heavy bosons, and the fundamental forces of nature explained using Feynman diagrams. Particle detection devices and (cyclic) particle accelerators are introduced, and recent experiments to investigate the structure of the proton and to discover the top quark are described.

Learning outcomes
After taking this module students should be able to:

• understand the structure of nuclei
• appreciate why some nuclei are stable and others decay
• understand at a qualitative level the salient properties of elementary particles
• distinguish between real and virtual particles
• appreciate the experimental evidence underlying the model of quarks and leptons

Outline syllabus

• The nucleus as a physical system; the nuclear energy well.
• Nuclear Coulamb repulsion energy
• Beta decay process as example of weak interaction.
• Mirror nuclei and charge symetry of nuclear forces
• Stability of nucei and radioactive decay.
• Nuclear scattering experiments.
• Nuclear reactions.
• The 'Fermi Gas' and 'Liquid Drop' Models of nuclear matter.
• Structural properties of nuclei.
• The Shell Model of the nucleus.
• Symmetry, statistics and parity.
• Nuclear energy: nuclear fission and the fission reactor; thermonuclear fusion.

• Particle classification: leptons, hadrons, baryons, mesons
• Families of hadrons: the quark model
• Feynman diagrams, virtual particles
• Electromagnetic, weak and strong forces
• Accelerators: introduction to experimental particle physics
• Interaction of particles with matter: cross-section particle detectors
• Deep inelastic scattering
• Discovery of top quark.