ECTS credits ECTS credits: 4.5
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 74.2 Hours of tutorials: 2.25 Expository Class: 18 Interactive Classroom: 18 Total: 112.45
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Particle Physics
Areas: Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
Center Faculty of Physics
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
The objective of this course is to provide an overview of current Nuclear Physics. Specifically, it will be addressed how even though we cannot yet provide a precise enough description of systems composed of fundamental constituents linked by strong interaction based on Quantum Chromodynamics, Nuclear Physics has developed both theoretical and experimental tools to describe systems as disparate as hadrons, atomic nuclei, and certain stellar bodies such as neutron stars.
This main objective is subdivided into the following secondary objectives:
1. Know the main challenges that Nuclear Physics has in the XXI century.
2. Become familiar with the main theoretical concepts that are used to describe many-body systems linked by a little-known interaction.
3. Acquire a complete overview of the experimental tools currently used in Nuclear Physics.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The contents of nuclear physical matter will allow the student to:
- Acquire an overview of the main current lines of research in nuclear physics
- Know the main techniques for studying and measuring the properties of the atomic nucleus.
The contents of this matter are organize in three blocks:
-- Present challenges in Nuclear Physics
-- Advanced lectures on nuclear reactions and models
-- Introduction to present topics of interest in Nuclear Physics
- Hadronic Physics.
- Nuclei far from stability: ground state and structural properties of the atomic nucleus.
- Nuclear matter and equation of state: neutron stars and phase transitions in nuclear matter.
- Nuclear astrophysics: nuclear physics after the Big Bang and matter transformation processes in stars.
Basic bibliography:
- G.R. Satchler, Introduction to nuclear reactions
- P.E. Hodgson, Introductory nuclear physics
- A.J. Cole, Statistical models for nuclear decay
- K. Heyde, Basic ideas and concepts in nuclear physics
- P.N. Poenaru, Experimental techniques in nuclear physics
At the time of preparing this teaching program, an attempt is being made to acquire electronic teaching material that can be used in the event that for health reasons teaching cannot be taught in person. The professors who teach the subject will indicate in due course on the Virtual Campus the bibliographic material that will be available in digital format. In the same way, teachers will also indicate online resources of special interest on the Virtual Campus.
Complementary bibliography:
- R.F. Casten, Nuclear structure from a simple perspective
- N.A. Jelley, Fundamentals of nuclear physics
- W. Greiner, Heavy elements and related new phenomena
- C. Rolfs, Cauldrons in the cosmos
Network resources
Students will have on the Virtual Campus the didactic material that the teachers of the subject have prepared as well as links to other online resources.
BASICS
- That the students have demonstrated to possess and understand knowledge in an area of study that starts from the base of education
general secondary school, and is usually found at a level that, although supported by advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that imply knowledge from the forefront of their field of study.
- That students know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possess the skills that are usually demonstrated through the elaboration and defense of arguments and the resolution of problems within their area of study.
- That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of study) to issue
judgments that include a reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.
GENERAL
- Possess and understand the most important concepts, methods and results of the different branches of Physics, with a historical perspective of their development.
- Have the ability to gather and interpret data, information and relevant results, obtain conclusions and issue reasoned reports
in scientific, technological or other problems that require the use of knowledge of Physics.
- Apply both the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired as well as the capacity for analysis and abstraction in the definition and
approach of problems and in the search of their solutions both in academic and professional contexts.
TRANSVERSALS
- Acquire analysis and synthesis capacity.
- Have capacity for organization and planning.
- Develop critical reasoning.
SPECIFIC
- Have a good understanding of the most important physical theories, locating in their logical and mathematical structure, their experimental support and the physical phenomenon that can be described through them.
- Be able to clearly handle orders of magnitude and make appropriate estimates in order to develop a clear perception of situations that, although physically different, show some analogy, allowing the use of known solutions to new problems.
- Be able to perform the essentials of a process or situation and establish a work model of it, as well as perform the required approaches in order to reduce the problem to a manageable level. He will demonstrate critical thinking to build physical models.
- Understand and master the use of mathematical and numerical methods most commonly used in Physics.
- Be able to manage, search and use bibliography, as well as any source of relevant information and apply it to research and technical project development.
The methodology proposed to teach this subject is determined by the fact that it is an optional subject of the Physics degree, implying a relatively low number of students.
Although theory classes continue to be used, the student's participation is intended to be important. In the same way, the syllabus of the subject tries to give detailed basis for understanding the current Nuclear Physics and its main lines of research, by including discussions of scientific articles in this discipline that are especially relevant in interactive classes. Also, the classes of traditional exercises of numerical resolution are less used and instead students are offered exercises that require a different approach such as the interpretation of graphs or the resolution of exercises using numerical methods. These exercises will be solved individually throughout the course in the interactive classes.
The theory and interactive classes will be attended in person.
The evaluation will include the active participation in the classes and in the solution of proposed exercises, and the result of a final exam covering the subject.
- 30% of the grade: work on the proposed exercises and participation in class.
- 70% of the grade: final exam.
A minimum mark of 3.5/10 in the final exam is required.
The final grade is the maximum between this weighted average and the grade from the exam.
Lectures 45 h
distributed as: master classes 24 hours, seminars 18 hours, tutorials 3 hours
Individual work 67.5 h
distributed as: personal study 47,5 hours, resolution exercises 20 hours.
Total: 112.5 h
This subject is considered as the natural continuation of the subject of Nuclear and Particle Physics, which is taught in the first four-month period of the fourth year of the Degree in Physics. Therefore, all the basic concepts of Nuclear Physics introduced in this first course are considered assimilated. Apart from this requirement, many of the compulsory subjects of the Degree in Physics are considered fundamental, among which we will highlight the Quantum Physics I, II and III subjects.
Beatriz Fernandez Dominguez
- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
- Phone
- 881813628
- beatriz.fernandez.dominguez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Manuel Caamaño Fresco
Coordinador/a- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
- Phone
- 881813626
- manuel.fresco [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Martina Feijoo Fontan
- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
- martina.feijoo.fontan [at] usc.es
- Category
- Xunta Pre-doctoral Contract
| Wednesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00-10:30 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician | Classroom C |
| Thursday | |||
| 09:00-10:30 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician | Classroom C |
| 05.15.2025 09:00-13:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 0 |
| 05.15.2025 09:00-13:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 130 |
| 05.15.2025 09:00-13:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 6 |
| 05.15.2025 09:00-13:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 830 |
| 07.07.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 0 |