Description

Review of Special Relativity and a brief introduction to general relativity. Introduction to the Standard Model of Particle Physics. Fundamental particles, Quarks, Leptons and Gauge Bosons. Conservation rules and symmetries. Parity Conservation and intrinsic parity of particles. Parity violation in weak interactions. Charge conjugation invariance and its violation in weak interactions. Gauge transformations and local gauge invariance in quantum field theories. Gauge invariance in electroweak theory. The Higgs mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking. Higgs Boson. Comparison of electroweak theory with experiment. Introduction to Astrophysics and Cosmology. The expanding universe. The Hubble Constant. Olber's paradox. The Friedman equation. The age of the universe. Cosmic microwave radiation. Radiation and Matter Eras. Primordial nucleosynthesis. Baryogenesis and the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. Development and structure in the early universe. Horizon and Flatness Problems. Quantum fluctuations and Inflation. Particle physics in the stars. Stellar evolution. Hydrogen burning and the pp cycle in the sun. Helium burning and the production of carbon and oxygen. Production of heavy elements. Electron degeneracy pressure and the white dwarf stars. Neutron stars and Pulsars. Solar neutrinos, neutrino oscillations.