HEP6363: Introuction to Particle Physics

The module starts by considering the composition of matter in terms of its most elementary constituents. This is followed by a briefly discussion on particle accelerators and detectors. Next, the properties of the elementary particles are explained, and they are classified according to these properties into two broad categories known as quarks and leptons. Next, follows the discoveries of the gauge bosons and Higgs boson. These particles interact with each other via three forces known as the electromagnetic, the weak and the strong forces, whose features and mechanism of action are explained. Next, the relationship between conservation laws and symmetries of the fundamental interactions is discussed. This relationship turns out to be the key to understanding how elementary particles behave.