SPECIAL RELATIVITY AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Catalog description

This course includes a brief historical background of the development of relativity theory and the importance of the experiments performed in conjunction with it. Lorentz transformations and covariant formalism will be developed and applied to certain problems in mechanics and electricity and magnetism. The nuclear physics portion of the course will include the historical development of the concept of the nuclear atom. Theoretical models of nuclear structure will be discussed, along with the theory of alpha, beta and gamma decay. Fission and fusion discussed as time permits. (Cross-listed with PHYS 4230 )