Standard Model of Elementary Particles

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

The aims of this class in elementary particle physics are two-fold:

Firstly: To introduce students into the world of Feynman diagrams/calculus such that they can calculate themselves to lowest order relevant observables and notably cross sections and decay widths i.e. lifetimes. To provide students with a broad understanding of the important and sometimes revolutionary past achievements as well as to sketch the outstanding challenges.
After the introduction of the main observables in elementary particle physics such as cross sections and lifetimes, the Feynman calculus of these observables is introduced by means of an admittingly unrealistic “toy” theory. Subsequently the Dirac equation and thereby Quantum Electro Dynamics (QED) are introduced in detail. QED is the most successful relativistic field theory allowing to calculate several observables to an astonishing precision. Using QED, crucial processes such as electron-positron annihilation into a pair of muons (e+e-®m+m-) are calculated. Next the Weak interaction (Quantum Flavour Dynamics, QFD) is introduced with ample attention paid to the most mysterious particle known to date: the neutrino. Also the carriers of the Weak interaction, the W- and Z-boson, are discussed. Finally QED and QFD are put together to yield the Electro-Weak theory in which the Higgs mechanism and thereby the recently discovered Higgs boson plays a crucial role.

Secondly: Throughout connections with experiment and experimental techniques are elucidated upon and the remaining outstanding challenges are identified.

Another pillar of elementary particle physics theory, the theory of strong interactions or Quantum Chromo Dynamics (QCD) will not be explained in the same detail as QED and QFD.

Study materials

Literature

• Recommended: M. Thomson, 'Modern Particle Physics', Cambridge University Press, 2013.

Objectives

• Fluent in relativistic kinematics (boosts, invariant masses, Mandelstam variables, etc.).
• Knows concepts such as a particles lifetime/decay-width as well as scattering cross section. And associated and important ingredients as phase-space and flux factors.
• Basis understanding of the Klein-Gordon equation.
• Good understanding of the Dirac equation, spinors, helicity.
• Core of the course: calculation of amplitudes using Feynman rules of various Quantum ElectroDynamics (QED) processes.
• Features of the weak interaction: parity violation.
• Knowledge of the W- and Z-bosons and the role they play in various scattering processes.
• Appreciation of the role of the Higgs particle.
• Have some idea of the major outstanding features in particle physics! 

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Laptop seminar
• Computer lab session/practical training
• Self-study
• Supervision/feedback meeting

Core: lectures and (essential) exercise sessions (time-wise: 50:50)

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (TER-B):

• Each student is expected to participate actively in each component of the programme that he/she signed up for. A student that does not attend the first two seminars of a course, will be administratively removed from the seminar group. A request for reregistration for the seminars can be applied to the programme coordinator.
• If a student cannot attend an obligatory component of a programme's component due to circumstances beyond his control, he must report in writing to the relevant teacher as soon as possible. The teacher, if necessary after consulting the study adviser, may decide to issue the student a replacing assignment.
• It is not allowed to miss obligatory commponents of the programme if there is no case of circumstances beyond one's control.
• In case of participating qualitatively or quantitatively insufficiently, the examiner can expel a student from further participation in the programme's component or a part of that component. Conditions for sufficient participation are set down in advance in the course manual.

Additional requirements for this course:

To be honest: I think the best way to pass this course is to attend the lectures, to actively participate in the exercise sessions and (most important) to hand-in the homework assignments. And equally important: to read (=study) the relevant chapters/sections in Tompson's book. Do not get fooled: the only way to really master this subject is to make many exercises. That way you will experience the difficulties hand-on ...

Assessment

Bonus points: handing in worked-out solutions of the assigned problem (1 week before) on these dates:
-Friday 7 November
-Friday 14 November
-Friday 21 November
-Friday 28 November
-Friday 5 December
Average of best four is taken as ‘BP’
Exam: Thursday 18 December gives ‘EX’
Final score: max(EX, 0.25BP+0.75EX) rounded to nearest (½) integer

Inspection of assessed work

Contact your supervisor to make an appointment for inspection.

Assessed homework can be inspected during the tutorial sessions.

Assignments

5 homework assignments

Individual assignments, graded, optional for a boost of the exam grade.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Additional information

Recommended prior knowledge: Bachelor courses in special relativity, classical electromagnetism and quantum mechanics.

Contact information

Coordinator

• prof. dr. ir. Paul de Jong