Physics 444, Nuclear Physics, Fall 2003
TR - 1:30PM - 3:10PM, PS 104
textbook - "An Introduction to Nuclear Physics", 2nd edition, W. N. and D. A.Cottingham and Greenwood, Cambridge University Press
K. Aniol, PS 308, (323) 343-2120
 kaniol@calstatela.edu
course web site:  http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/kaniol/phys444/phys444-home.htm
office hours : M 1100-1200, T 1200-1300, W 1500-1600, R 1200-1300
Final Exam, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003, 1:30PM - 4:00PM, PS 104

Lect Number           Date                         Subject
1                              Sept  25                 chap.1, app. A, cross sections
2                              Sept  30                 chap. 2,leptons and electroweak interactions, symmetries
3                               Oct  2                    chap. 3, nucleons and the strong interaction, quark models
4                               Oct  7                    chap. 4, nuclear sizes and masses, app. B
5                               Oct  9                    chap. 5, ground state properties and the shell model app. C, topic of term paper due
6                               Oct  14                  collective models of nuclear structure
7                               Oct  16                  chap. 6, alpha decay and fission
8                               Oct  21                  chap. 7, excited states, app. D
9                               Oct  23                  chap. 8, low energy nuclear reactions
10                             Oct  28                  high energy electromagnetic interactions, take home exam handed out
11                             Nov  4                   relativistic heavy ion collisions
12                             Nov  6                   chap. 9, nuclear fission power, take home exam collected
13                             Nov  11                chap. 10 nuclear fusion
14                             Nov  13                chap. 11, nucleosynthesis
15                             Nov  18                 chap 12., beta decay
16                             Nov  20                chap 12. gamma decay
17                             Nov  25                chap. 13, neutrinos
18                             Thanksgiving
19                             Dec 2                   chap. 14, passage of penetrating particles through matter
20                             Dec 4                   chap. 15, review

Additional References: These are either in the library or can be purchased online. Some of these books have more than one copy available.

"Introductory Nuclear Physics", Carlos A. Bertulani and Helio Schecter
"Introductory Nuclear Physics", Samuel S. M. Wong
"The Physics of Nuclei and Particles", Richard A. Dunlap
"Introductory Nuclear Physics", P.E. Hodgson, E. Gadioli, E. Gadioli-Erba
"Introduction to nuclear and particle physics", Asok Das and Thomas Ferbel
"Introductory nuclear physics " Kenneth Krane
"Nuclear and particle physics", W. S. C. Williams
"An Introduction to Nuclear Physics", 2nd edition, W. N. and D. A.Cottingham and Greenwood

A term paper is due by Dec. 4. If you hand it in by Nov. 20 I can return it to you with my comments without a grade. It will be graded after the second submission. The term paper should be a minimum of 10 pages typed, including figures. There must be a list of references which you cite in the paper. The paper can be of a theoretical or experimental nature. Explain a particular experimental technique or explain a theoretical issue. If you write about nuclear power please include only the facts, no polemics. You pick the topic. Possible topics, but not exhaustive, are below: If you chose something outside this list please discuss it with me before you start. I want to know what topic you have chosen by Oct. 9.

the shell model
the nucleon-nucleon interaction
nuclear shapes or spins, what are they and how do we determine them
collective rotational and vibrational models
interaction boson models (IBA)
nuclear reactions
neutrino mass searches
giant resonances
the role of symmetries in nuclear/particle physics
quark models of the hadrons
the electroweak interaction
quantum chromodynamics and the strong interaction
grand unified models
quark gluon plasma
heavy ion reactions
nuclear astrophysics
neutron stars
strange quark stars
nuclear decays, alpha, beta and gamma decay
double beta decay searches
nuclear power, fission or fusion
biomedical applications of nuclear physics
accelerator design
the physics and design of experimental equipment

Grading: The grade will be based on the midterm exam(~20%), the final exam(~40%), and the term paper(~40%). The answers to the problems are in the back of the text book, so these can't be used for grading. Nevertheless, I strongly encourage you to solve these problems on your own before looking up the answers. I may also give outside homework problems which will be included in the grade.