Physics 400/506 - Introduction to Elementary Particles

(wherein we learn of what maketh up the world)

Term: January 2006
Lecturer: Scott Oser
Classes:  Tuesdays, Thursdays  10:00-11:30AM in Hennings 302
Office Hours: Tuesday 1-2pm, Friday 1-2pm, in Hennings 342
TA:  Patrick Bruskiewich
TA Office Hours: by appointment (email the TA)
Prerequisites: PHYS 304
Textbook: Introduction to Elementary Particles, by David Griffiths
Supplemental material:  The Particle Data Booklet (order yourself own free copy here)
NOTE: the 2004 Particle Data Booklet seems to be out of print, but you can order the Review of Particle Physics as a substitute.
You may also find these books enlightening

• Quarks and Leptons, by Halzen and Martin

• Introduction to High Energy Physics, by D. Perkins

• Subatomic Physics, by Frauenfelder and Henley

Your grade will be determined by:

Homework:  Expect frequent, typically weekly, problem sets.  Graduate students will be assigned additional and more challenging problems.  You are welcome to discuss problems informally with your classmates.  However, you must complete the assignment yourself, and if you hand in obviously copied homework, you should expect a mark of zero on that assignment, or worse. Assignments are due by the end of class on the specified day, and there is no tolerance for late assignments without medical or tragic reason. If you're going to have trouble finishing an assignment on time, hand in what you do have done for partial credit.  Failure to hand in homework is the leading cause of failure in my classes.  If you're persistently having trouble finishing the homework on time, you should come and see me---the sooner, the better.

Paper:  You will be required to write a short (10-12 page) report about a historic paper in experimental particle physics.  (I will give some suggestions here.)  The idea is that you will read the paper, do background research on the physics that is discussed in the paper, then write a report on the subject.  Your paper must demonstrate that you understand what was being measured, why it was interesting, how the detector worked, how the measurement was made, and what the implications are.  Plagiarism of any sort would be a very bad idea ... any plagiarism will be dealt with as harshly as the university will let me.  The paper is due March 28.  More information about the paper requirement is given here.

Tour of TRIUMF:   I have arranged for a class tour of TRIUMF, a world-class subatomic physics lab on the far south end of campus.   This is scheduled for January 19, at the regular class time.  TRIUMF is located at 4004 Wesbrook, a couple of blocks south of 16th Avenue on the east side of Wesbrook.  It's a 25 minute walk from the SUB.  There are bike racks and a free parking lot.  Or, you can take a bus from the bus loop to the corner of 16th and Wesbrook, and walk the remaining couple of blocks.  I think Busline 25 goes that route, although you should confirm this.  Congregrate at the reception desk in the main lobby.  The tour will take approximately 1.5 hours.

Missed exams:  There is a midterm exam in class scheduled for February 21.  No makeup exam will be offered.  If you miss this exam with a legitimate excuse (proof of illness, family emergency, etc), I will simply count your final exam for 50% of your grade instead of 30%.  If you miss the exam without proof of a legitimate excuse, then you may get a score of zero on the midterm.  If you know you will have an exam conflict, please see me.

Religious holidays:  Students are entitled to request an alternate test date if a scheduled test date falls on one of their holy days.  If you think this may apply to you, please contact me as soon as possible to make an alternate arrangement.  Please don't put this off until the last minute---the university requires you to give two weeks' notice.

FINAL EXAM:  The final exam is scheduled for April 11 at 12pm.  You can see the exam schedule for all exams at http://students.ubc.ca/current/exams.cfm.  The final exam will take 2.5 hours, and will cover all course material unless otherwise specified.


Syllabus:

Scott Oser (email me)  March 16, 2006