Handbook

There is a more recent version of this academic item available.

Overview

This course aims to provide an introduction to modern elementary particle physics and modern cosmology from both an experimental and theoretical viewpoint. Topics covered include: Basic ideas of the standard model. Interaction and fields. Feynman diagrams. Cross section and decay rates. Invariance principle and conservation laws: parity, charge conjugation, time reversal, CPT. Concepts of QCD and asymptotic freedom. Concepts of electroweak theory, Higgs mechanism. Geometry, kinematics and dynamics of Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker universes. Cosmic inflation, Klein-Gordon equation, scalar field dynamics. Thermal history of the Universe, equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium dynamics, Boltzmann equation, WIMP dark matter, recombination and the cosmic microwave background radiation, big bang nucleosynthesis.
The topics are introduced during lectures and tutorials.

Conditions for Enrolment

Prerequisite: PHYS2111 and PHYS2113 and PHYS2114

Delivery

In-person - Standard (usually weekly or fortnightly)

Please note that the above delivery information is an indication on how this course may be delivered within the year. Delivery mode(s) for each term can be viewed on other sources such as myUNSW and class timetable site.

This Handbook is a comprehensive catalogue of our offerings and includes courses that can be taken to satisfy program requirements irrespective as to their availability for a particular year. Availability of courses is best checked using filters on this site or on the class timetable site.

Fees

Type	Amount
Commonwealth Supported Students (if applicable)	$1119
Domestic Students	$6840
International Students	$6840

Disclaimer

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Note that the University reserves the right to vary student fees in line with relevant legislation. The fee information is provided as a guide and more specific information about fees, including policy, can be found here.

Commonwealth Supported Students:

Please refer to the information about new Student Contribution band classifications. Note that grandfathering arrangements are applicable for some cohorts of students, and other special arrangements apply for a limited number of programs. The Field of Education displayed on the right-hand side of this page may be applicable in understanding which fee rate will apply to you.

Where a Commonwealth Supported fee is displayed it does not guarantee that such places are available.

Pre-2019 Handbook Editions

Access past handbook editions (2018 and prior)

Faculty
Faculty: The primary academic unit in which related disciplines of teaching and research are conducted.

School
School: The academic unit responsible for teaching in disciplines or subject areas (school is part of a faculty).

Study Level
Study Level refers to the academic level of a program, specialisation or course.

Undergraduate

Offering Terms
Depending on the Academic Calendar type, an offering term generally refers to an academic teaching period of between 8-13 weeks in duration.

Term 3

Campus

Sydney

Academic Calendar

Field of Education

010301 Physics

Timetable

Course Outline
This link will take you to UNSW Course Outline website that is first released for all faculties for 2024 academic year. Note that the Handbook publishes course information regardless of whether the course is offered (and therefore has a course outline available), or not.

Particle Physics and the Early Universe

PHYS3115

6 Units of Credit