Lecture Dates Chapter(s) Topic Problems Due
Jan 15   Origins—Radioactivity—--Fundamental nature of decay constant—physics covered by nuclear lifetimes 10-15 s to 1035s --Series decay and accumulation of activity-- transuranics àAge of the Earthà radiocarbon dating, archeology….    
Jan 17   Discovery of the Nucleus--  Rutherford scattering –Bohr Model of the atom    

Jan 22

  Nuclear constituents--Isotopes, Abundances, Nuclear Stability, à Origin of Elements—Cosmic abundances—Supernovae\    
Jan 24   Modes of Nuclear Decay--Mass relations and gross features of alpha, beta and gamma-decay    
Jan 29   Crisis I in  beta decay -Conservation Laws —the neutrino    
Jan 31   Bound states of the nucleus--nuclear transitions --allowed and higher multipoles in beta and gamma transitions-- intrinsic quantum numbers --spin, parity, isospin selection rules    
Feb 12   Systematics of properties of nuclear states– Magic Numbers --Shell Model of the nucleus— independent particle motion    
Feb 14   Nuclear Reactions—classifications--kinematics—conservation laws-elastic/inelastic  scattering    
Feb 19   Special reactions—slow neutrons;  recoilless reactions—Mossbauer effect    
Feb 21   Passage of radiation in matter—Principles of Radiation Detectors    
Feb 26   Inelastic Reactions—barrier penetration and tunneling--Coulomb barrier –alpha decay revisited--particle transfer reactions--Nuclear fusion àEnergy production in stars    
Feb 28   Crisis II in beta decay--Parity violation --V-A theory of beta decay—inverse beta reactions and neutrino physicsà role in particle physics, geophysics astrophysics, cosmology    
Spring Break        
Mar 11 1 Relativity - E&M waves, proper time/length; simultenaety    
Mar 13 1 Relativity - Lorentz transforms; space-time diagrams; doppler shifts; twins #1: 1: 11, 12, 16, 21, 25, 39, 42 Mar 20
Mar 18   Relativity - Rapidity    
Mar 20   Relativity - momentum; work-energy    
Mar 25   Relativity - metric    
Mar 27   Relativity - forces HW2 Apr 8
Apr 1   Relativity - E&B field transformations (supplementary material) HW3 Apr 10
Apr 3   Relativity - in particle physics (solutions to HW and others)  
Apr 8        
Apr 10        
Apr 15        
Apr 17        
Apr 22        
Apr 24   notes from Leo Piilonen    
Apr 29        
May 6   Final 7:45 am