Please note this site holds 4th year courses that have been revalidated as part of the Curriculum Reform and they will only be available in the 2013/2014 session
View the Current Undergraduate Course Catalogue

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PHYSICS

NOTE(S): FOR THE THEORETICAL PHYSICS TOPICS OF RELATIVITY, ETC, SEE MX COURSES

> Level 4
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PLEASE NOTE: Resit: (for Honours students only): Candidates achieving a CAS mark of 6-8 may be awarded compensatory level 1 credit. Candidates achieving a CAS mark of less than 6 will be required to submit themselves for re-assessment and should contact the Course Co-ordinator for further details.

PX 4510
STRUCTURE OF MATTER AND THE UNIVERSE
CREDIT POINTS 15

Course Co-ordinator: Dr G .M. Dunn

Pre-requisite(s): PX 3509

Note(s): The first part of the course covers the foundations of theoretical physics: Lagrangians, perturbation theory and group theory. Lagrangians are then used to understand classical field theory and solve the Klein Gordon and Dirac equations. The gravitational field is then explained in terms of curved spacetime. Quantum field theories (such as Quantum electrodynamics) are then examined in terms of exchange particles using perturbation theory. Gauge theories, the idea of an internal space and isospin are then introduced together with the classification of particles and exchange particles according to their symmetries. Yangs Mills SU(2) theory and the concept of quarks and Gell-Mann SU(3) theory is used to explain the families of baryons and mesons. Finally, string field theories are introduced. The second half of the course covers astrophysics, addressing the topics of the evolution of the universe, galaxies, observed properties of stars, star formation and evolution and planet formation.

Course content reflects the learning outcomes:

  • Lagrangian description of fields, Concepts in group theory, definition of a group, irreducible representations, theory of (quantum mechanical) time independent and time dependent perturbation theory.

  • Semi-quantitative explanation of the ideas behind general relativity.

  • The 3 types of basic particle interactions: strong, weak and electromagnetic (derivations of using perturbation theory and Lagrangian densities).

  • The roles of conservation laws in particle interactions and the idea of gauge invariance (symmetry properties of I-space).

  • The current status of the Standard Model SU(2), SU(3).

  • The main ideas behind modern theories of everything, string theory and supersymmetry.

  • The formation and evolution of the Universe.

  • The formation and evolution of Galaxies.

  • The formation evolution and structure of stars.

  • The various evolutionary possibilities for stars of different mass.

  • The formation and types of planets and planetary systems.

Three one hour lectures a week with problems at the end of each section (see above).

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written paper (70%) and in-course assessment (30%) - two class tests.

Resit: As above with the continuous assessment carried forward.

Only the marks obtained on the first attempt can be used for Honours classification.

Formative Assessment and Feedback Information

Formative assessment will be by means of dialogue with the lecturer and particularly in the problem classes.

Feedback will be immediate during the problem classes and within two weeks (usually one) for the summative class tests.

PX 4516
NUCLEAR AND SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS
CREDIT POINTS 15

Course Co-ordinator: Dr G M Dunn

Pre-requisite(s): PX 3012, PX 2508, PX 3509

The course will develop the basic ideas of band theory, followed by the development of semiconductor physics which builds on both Boltzmann and Fermi-Dirac statistics. The underlying concepts in semiconductor physics will develop from the movement of charge in solids, number densities of charge carriers, equilibrium then non-equilibrium semiconductors and will conclude with consolidation of these ideas through their application in the pn junction diode. In the second half, Nuclear models, nuclear shells and magic numbers; radioactive decay; fission, fusion, nuclear reactions and types of reactors; production of radionuclides; reactors, linear accelerators and cyclotrons will be covered.

Two lectures and one tutorial a week.

1st Attempt: One two hour examination (75%) and (25%) continuous assessment.

Resit: One two hour examination (100%).

Only marks obtain at the first attempt can count towards Honours classification.

Formative Assessment and Feedback Information

Students progress will be assessed in the weekly tutorial sessions.

Feedback in assessments will be within two weeks (usually one week) for written assessments and immediately in formative tutorial tasks.