2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Science Department of Physics Graduate major in Physics
Hadron Physics I
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Physics
- Instructor(s)
- Hiroyuki Fujioka
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Mon
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- PHY.F438
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 31, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The minimum elements of matter which can be observed are hadrons and leptons. Hadrons are particles interacting with strong forces, such as proton and pion, and are composed of quarks and gluons. Owing to the color confinement phenomenon, quarks and gluons are confined in the hadrons and are never observed directly. Most of the visible mass in our universe is due to the hadron mass. In the lecture, properties of hadrons are explained in both theoretical and experimental points of view. In the descriptions of the hadron structure and dynamics, symmetries play important roles. Basics of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which is the fundamental theory of the dynamics of quarks and gluons, are also explained. The nature of the coupling constant of the strong interaction, that is called as asymptotic freedom, is the outstanding feature of QCD, and the spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry is responsible for the mass generation of quarks. Effective models based on chiral symmetry for hadron physics are also introduced.
The purpose of the course is to let the students understand hadrons which constitute the present universe, and to understand quarks, gluons, and QCD which is the theory of strong interaction. Another purpose is to let the students know theoretical tools to study hadron physics.
Course description and aims
[Objectives] Students will understand the basics of hadron physics by taking this course. Students will understand the features of strong interaction, the description of hadrons based on quarks, and features of quantum chromodynamics.
[Topics] Strong interaction, symmetries in hadron physics, properties of hadron, quark model, quark flavors, quark generations, color charge, gluons, asymptotic freedom, elastic scattering and deep inelastic scattering, chiral effective theories, chiral symmetry, current algebra, hadron mass generation, etc.
Keywords
strong interaction, hadron, mesons, baryons
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The class is conducted using both slides and board writing.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Hadrons and strong interaction | Explain what hadrons are. |
| Class 2 | Hadron spectroscopy | Learn how to describe short-living particles |
| Class 3 | Relativistic quantum mechanics | To be able to describe spin 1/2 fermion in relativistic form |
| Class 4 | Symmetries in hadron physics | Explain the breaking patterns of symmetries in hadron physics. |
| Class 5 | Flavors of quarks, classification of baryons and mesons | Explain the compositions of baryons and mesons based on flavor symmetry. |
| Class 6 | Quark model | Construct the proton wavefunction based on the quark model. |
| Class 7 | Structure of nucleon | Explain the form factors and the meaning of Bjorken scaling. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
not specified
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Bogdan Povh, Klaus Rith, Christoph Scholz, Frank Zetsche, Werner Rodejohann, Particls and Nuclei: An Introduction to the Physical Concepts
Francis Halzen and Alan D. Martin, Quarks and Leptons: An Introductory Course in Modern Particle Physics
Michael E. Peskin, Concepts of Elementary Particle Physics
Evaluation methods and criteria
Your grade will be determined by short reports and test scores.
Related courses
- PHY.F350 ： Nuclear Physics
- PHY.F437 ： Advanced Nuclear Physics
- PHY.F351 ： Elementary Particles
- PHY.F436 ： Advanced Particle Physics
- PHY.Q331 ： Relativistic Quantum Mechanics
- PHY.F439 ： Hadron Physics II
Prerequisites
It is required that the students have enough knowledge on quantum physics.