This updated edition is designed as a brief introduction to the fundamental particles that make up the matter in our universe. Numerous examples, figures, and simple explanations enable general readers and physics students to understand complex concepts related to the universe. Selected topics include atoms, quarks, accelerators, detectors, colliders, string theory, and more.
Author(s): Robert Purdy
Edition: 2
Publisher: Mercury Learning and Information
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 441
Cover
Half-Title
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: A History of Particle Physics
1.1 Atomic Theory
1.2 Atomic Structure
1.3 Forces and Interactions
1.4 Strange and Unexpected Developments
1.5 Strangeness
1.6 Quarks and Symmetries
1.7 The Standard Model of Particle Physics
1.8 The Current State of the Field
1.9 Exercises
Chapter 2: Special Relativity
2.1 Lorentz Transformations
2.1.1 Scalars, Vectors, and Reference Frames
2.1.2 Special Relativity
2.1.3 Minkowski Space
2.2 Energy and Momentum in Minkowski Space
2.2.1 Example Calculation
2.2.2 Invariant Mass
2.3 Exercises
Chapter 3: Quantum Mechanics
3.1 States and Operators
3.2 The Schrödinger Equation
3.3 Probability Current
3.4 Angular Momentum and Spin
3.5 Spin 1/2 Particles and the Pauli Matrices
3.6 The Hamiltonian
3.6.1 The Lagrangian
3.7 Quantum Mechanics and Electromagnetism: The Schrödinger Approach
3.8 Quantum Mechanics and Electromagnetism: The Pauli Equation
3.9 Exercises
Chapter 4: Symmetries and Groups
4.1 The Importance of Symmetry in Physics
4.2 Discrete Symmetries
4.2.1 Mathematical Structure of Discrete Symmetries
4.2.2 Discrete Symmetries in Particle Physics
4.3 Continuous Symmetries
4.3.1 Mathematical Structure of Continuous Symmetries
4.3.2 Continuous Symmetries in Particle Physics
4.4 Exercises
Chapter 5: Experimental Particle Physics
5.1 Detectors
5.1.1 Interactions of Particles with Matter
5.1.2 Early Detectors
5.1.3 Modern Detectors
5.2 Accelerators
5.2.1 Linear Accelerators
5.2.2 Cyclotrons
5.2.3 Synchrotrons
5.3 Measurable Quantities in Particle Physics: Matching Theory to Experiment
5.3.1 Cross-Sections
5.3.2 Lifetimes
5.4 Exercises
Chapter 6: Particle Classification
6.1 The Spin-Statistics Theorem
6.2 The Strong Force
6.2.1 Isospin
6.2.2 Flavor SU (3)
6.3 Color
6.4 Building Hadrons
6.4.1 Quark Content
6.4.2 Mass
6.4.3 Resonances
6.4.4 Larger Flavor Symmetries
6.5 Exercises
Chapter 7: Relativistic Quantum Mechanics
7.1 The Klein–Gordon Equation
7.1.1 A Relativistic Schrödinger Equation
7.1.2 Solutions of the Klein–Gordon Equation
7.1.3 Conserved Current
7.2 The Maxwell and Proca Equations
7.2.1 Derivation of the Maxwell Equation
7.2.2 Solutions of the Maxwell Equation
7.2.3 Including Mass: The Proca Equation
7.2.4 Spin of Vector Particles
7.3 Combining Equations: How Do Particles Interact?
7.3.1 Quantum Field Theory Without the Maths
7.3.2 Feynman Rules
7.4 Exercises
Chapter 8: The Dirac Equation
8.1 A Linear Relativistic Equation
8.2 Representations of the Gamma Matrices
8.2.1 The Dirac Representation
8.2.2 The Weyl Representation
8.3 Spinors and Lorentz Transformations
8.4 Solutions of the Dirac Equation
8.4.1 Basis Spinors
8.4.2 Spin
8.4.3 Antiparticles
8.4.4 Helicity
8.4.5 Chirality
8.5 Massless Particles
8.6 Charge Conjugation
8.7 Dirac, Weyl, and Majorana Spinors
8.8 Bilinear Covariants
8.9 Exercises
Chapter 9: Quantum Electrodynamics
9.1 U(1) Symmetry in Wave Equations
9.2 Localizing the U(1) Symmetry
9.3 The Link with Classical Physics
9.4 A Well-Tested Theory
9.5 Calculations in QED
9.5.1 Feynman Rules for QED
9.5.2 Calculating Amplitudes
9.5.3 Calculating the Differential Cross-Section
9.6 Beyond Leading Order: Renormalization
9.7 Form Factors and Structure Functions
9.7.1 Electromagnetic Form Factors
9.7.2 Structure Functions and the Quark Model
9.8 Exercises
Chapter 10: Non-Abelian Gauge Theory and Color
10.1 Non-Abelian Symmetry in the Dirac Equation
10.1.1 SU(3) and Color
10.1.2 Localizing the SU(3) Symmetry
10.2 Gluon Self-Interactions
10.3 Strong Force Interactions
10.3.1 Quantum Chromodynamics
10.3.2 Scale-Dependence
10.4 High-Energy QCD
10.4.1 Asymptotic Freedom
10.4.2 Perturbative QCD
10.5 Low-Energy QCD
10.5.1 Quark Confinement
10.5.2 The Residual Nuclear Force
10.5.3 Perturbative and Lattice QCD
10.6 Exotic Matter
10.6.1 Pentaquarks and Tetraquarks
10.6.2 Glueballs
10.6.3 Quark–Gluon Plasma
10.7 Exercises
Chapter 11: Symmetry Breaking and The Higgs Mechanism
11.1 The Weak Force as a Boson-Mediated Interaction
11.1.1 P Violation
11.1.2 C Violation
11.2 Renormalizability and the Need for Symmetry
11.3 Hidden Symmetry
11.3.1 Toy Model 1: Z2 Symmetry Breaking
11.3.2 Toy Model 2: U(1) Symmetry Breaking
11.3.3 Local U(1) Symmetry Breaking
11.3.4 The Higgs Mechanism: SU(2) x U(1) Breaking
11.4 Electroweak Interactions
11.4.1 Hypercharge and Weak Isospin
11.5 Exercises
Chapter 12: The Standard Model of Particle Physics
12.1 Putting It All Together
12.2 Fermion Masses
12.3 Quark Mixing and the CKM Matrix
12.3.1 The Cabibbo Hypothesis
12.3.2 Neutral Mesons
12.3.3 More General Quark Mixing
12.4 CP Violation in the Weak Sector
12.4.1 The Electron Electric Dipole Moment
12.5 Successes of the Standard Model
12.5.1 Anomaly Cancelation
12.6 Problems with the Standard Model
12.6.1 Baryogenesis
12.6.2 The Hierarchy Problem
12.6.3 The Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment
12.6.4 The Strong CP Problem
12.7 Exercises
Chapter 13: Beyond the Standard Model
13.1 Neutrino Oscillations and the PMNS Matrix
13.2 The See-Saw Mechanism
13.3 Grand Unification
13.3.1 SU(5) as an Example GUT
13.3.2 Magnetic Monopoles
13.4 Supersymmetry
13.5 Problems with Standard Model Extensions
13.6 Gravitons
13.6.1 Can We Go Further Than Spin-2?
13.6.2 Problems with Gravity
13.7 Axions
13.8 Dark Matter
13.8.1 Axions
13.8.2 Sterile Neutrinos
13.8.3 Lightest Supersymmetric Particle
13.8.4 Something New
13.9 Dark Energy and Inflation
13.9.1 Inflation
13.9.2 Dark Energy
13.10 The Future of Particle Physics
13.11 Exercises
Appendix A: Elementary Particle Properties and Other Useful Quantities
Appendix B: Feynman Rules
Appendix C: Gamma Matrix Identities
Bibliography
Index
