Nuclear and subnuclear physics
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2021/2022
- Teacher
- ISABELLA MASINA
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- FIS/02
Training objectives
- The goal of the corse is to provide the student with the necessary basic background in the fields of nuclear and subnuclear physics, in particular in view of some applications to medical technologies.
Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of Mathematical analysis, in particular: trigonometry, differential and integral calculus, complex numbers. Deep knowledge of the topics of the Physics modulus of the course "Informatics and Physics".
Course programme
- The course is composed of three moduli, each one of 16 hours:
1) Elements of (non-relativistic) quantum mechanics;
2) Special relativity;
3) Radioactivity.
Here is the detailed program.
1) Elements of (non-relativistic) quantum mechanics (16 h).
Mathematical foundations for quantum mechanics.
Heisenberg's indetermination principle.
Wave function. Schroedinger equation.
Step and barrier potentials. Harmonic oscillator.
Rotations. Angular momentum quantization.
Orbital and spin angular momenta.
Hydrogen atom.
2) Special relativity (16 h).
Momentum/energy four-vector.
Doppler effect. Mass and energy.
Kinematics of collision processes:
energy on the center of mass frame.
elastic collisions, Compton effect,
inelastic collisions, endothermic reactions,
particle accelerators and colliders.
Dynamics of collision processes:
cross section, examples and orders of magnitudes
for fundamental interactions,
quantum numbers conservation,
mean free path and length of collision.
3) Radioactivity (16 h).
Nuclear masses and energies,
nuclei characterization.
Table of nuclei and stability valley.
Semi-empirical mass formula.
Nuclear binding energy.
Decay processes:
kinematics for 2 and 3 body decays.
Half-lives and decay times.
Strong, electromagnetic and weak decays.
Nuclear decays: alpha, beta and gamma. Didactic methods
- Front lectures, if appropriate also online. Solution of exercises under the teacher supervision.
Learning assessment procedures
- Oral examination to check the knowledge of the lectures program and the acquired skills.
Reference texts
- - D. Griffiths, Introduction to quantum mechanics, Cambridge University Press
- S. Braibant, G. Giacomelli, M. Spurio, Particelle e interazioni fondamentali: il mondo delle particelle, Springer
- Lecture notes by the teachers
