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In 1911, Ernest Rutherford discovered that an atom consists of a small, hard nucleus surrounded by electrons - and nuclear physics was born. Subsequent investigations showed that nuclei are made of protons and neutrons - the beginnings of particle physics. Today we know that ``stuff'' is made of molecules that are made of atoms that are made of nuclei and electrons; nuclei are made of protons and neutrons that are made of quarks. As far as we know, quarks (and electrons!) aren't made of anything, but we still look for something inside them.

Particle physics is the study of the ultimate constituents of matter and the interactions between them. Nuclear physics is concerned with the behavior of nuclei, the interaction between nucleons, and how quarks in the nucleons affect the behavior of the nucleus. Investigation into other collective behavior of quarks (in particles other than nucleons or in a quark-gluon plasma) is also within the realm of nuclear physics.

This class is an introdution to the subjects of nuclear and particle physics. The two subjects are certainly related - and topics which used to be considered particle physics (or high energy physics) are now considered to be part of nuclear physics. Both fields are extremely broad - I hope you leave with an overview of the basics of each field, an understanding of what some of the current hot topics are and how we study them, and some understanding of how we got to where we are today.

THE COURSE

Classes will consist of discussions and lectures. Not every topic in the book will be covered and we may discuss topics that are not in the book. Topics can vary based on your interests, so if you have a particular interest, you should let me know.

Your final grade will be based on class participation, homework, and the results of two exams and a final exam.

Note the importance of the homework to your overall grade!
Grading scale: The grading scale will be adjusted based on the class's performance. Above 90% will certainly be an A and below 50% will be an F.
Incompletes will be given only when all work before the final exam has been satisfactorily completed and the final exam is missed for a legitimate reason.

Class participation includes asking and answering questions during class, as well as participation in class discussions and attendance. If you do not attend class, you are unlikely to do well in the course. Attendance will be taken, primarily so that I can comply with university requests for the date of last attendance.

There will be two exams during the semester and a final exam. The second exam will concentrate on material covered since the first exam, however, concepts covered earlier in the semester will be necessary throughout the course. The final exam will be comulative. No exam may be missed.

The class period before each exam will be used for review. Reviews will be driven by you, the students. I will not attempt to cover everything that could possibly be on the exam nor will I provide a synopsis of the exam! You should feel free to ask questions about topics which remain unclear to you.

The problems on the homework and those on the exams will have somewhat different emphases. There will be more calculations in the homework and more explanations on the exams. Exams will offer some choice of problems and the problems will be graded on a ten-point scale.

You are strongly encouraged to ask questions during, before or after class, during my office hours, or via email. DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK FOR HELP OR CLARIFICATION. In fact, asking questions is a good way to slow me down! If you don't understand something, it is very likely someone else doesn't understand, too. I am more than happy to talk with you! The class will be much more interesting, for all of us, if you ask questions and respond to questions I ask the class.

Students with disabilities needing academic accomodations should: 1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC); 2) bring a letter to me from SDRC indicating you need academic accomodations and what they are. Do this within the first week of class. This and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.

Students are expected to uphold the Academic Honor Code published in The Florida State University Bulletin and in the Student Handbook. The first paragraph is:

The Academic Honor System of Florida State University is based on the premise that each student has the responsibility (1) to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in the student's own work, (2) to refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity in the University community, and (3) to foster a high sense of integrity and social responsibility on the part of the University community.

It can be summarized as ``Do not cheat.'' Students found cheating will fail the course.