Nuclear and Particle Physics From the Early Universe to Nuclear Energy

This student textbook clearly explains the connections between nuclear and particle physics, giving students a comprehensive understanding of this subject area. The book is suitable for those taking courses dedicated to both particle and nuclear physics, as well as for students taking a course in either nuclear or particle physics, who need to place their studies in a broader context. The book opens with an examination of the Big Bang and the birth of nuclear and particle physics, and concludes with coverage of highly practical experiments and applications, including medical physics, environmental science, nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. Worked examples and problems are provided.

Cosmological Evolution from Elementary Particles to Atoms. The Big Bang. Cosmological Eras from the Birth of Elementary Particles to Atoms. Towards Recreating the Big Bang Conditions with the Large Hadron Collider. Brief History of the Discovery of Particles. Particles and their Interactions. Interactions in Nature. Classification of Particles. Anti-particles and Particles. Interaction Mediators: Gauge Bosons. Feynman Diagrams. Conservation Laws. Nuclear Physics. The Nucleus. Coulomb Forces. The Strong Force and Nucleon-nucleon Interaction. Nuclear Model 1: Liquid Drop. Nuclear Model 2: Magic Numbers and the Shell Model. Fermi Gas Model and the Nucleus. Binding Energy: Positive and Negative Contributions. Semi-empirical Mass Formula. Spin-orbit Interaction: Correction to the Shell Model. The Weak Force and Radioactive Beta Decay. Beta Decay Mass Parabolas. Electron Capture. Alpha Decay. Nuclidic Chart and Segre’s Stability Diagram. Spontaneous Fission and the Coulomb Barrier. Nuclear Reactions: Induced Fission, Fusion and Principles of Reactors and Weapons. Scattering of Nucleons and Electrons by Nuclei: Cross-sections. Separation Energies. Dipole Magnetic Moments and Electric Quadrupole Moments. The Structure of the Nucleon. Particle Theory II. Relativistic Kinematics. The Dirac Equation. Electroweak Interactions. Quantum Chromodynamics. The Standard Model. Neutrino Oscillations. Higgs Field and Boson. Supersymmetry. Experiments and Applications. Applications to Environmental Science, Medical Physics and Archaeology. Measurement of Coefficients of the Semi-Empirical Mass Formula. Ion beam Applications to Materials Modification: Safe Energy Production and Cancer Control. Micro- and Nano-Machining. Hadron Structure: the Structure of the Nucleon and of Hadrons in General. Hadron Spectroscopy. Heavy Ion Physics: Quark-Gluon Plasma. Nuclear Astrophysics. Discovery of the Higgs Boson. Search for Supersymmetric Particles with the Large Hadron Collider. Fusion Reactor Experiments. Nuclear Technology. Fission Reactors: Design Criteria. The Breeder Reactor. Fusion Reactor. Accelerator Driven Systems: Energy Production and Radioactive Waste Incineration. Accelerators for Advanced Radiotherapy: Ion Beam, Proton, Carbon and Neutron Capture. Nuclear Weapons. The Large Hadron Collider.