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SP3176 is one of the longest-running courses in SPS, predating the introduction of the CHS curriculum. The original version of the course was thoughtfully developed by Dr Lim Zhi Han and has served SPS students well over many years.

However, with the introduction of CHS, the backgrounds, experiences, and learning needs of our students have evolved. This version of SP3176 has therefore been redesigned to better meet the needs of today’s SPS students within the CHS framework, while building on the strengths of the original course. As a result, you may notice significant differences between the present and previous versions of SP3176.

There are many dimensions to being a scientist, yet some are easily overlooked. Joseph Wright of Derby’s 1768 painting, An Experiment on a Bird in an Air Pump, offers a powerful reminder of this. What does the painting reveal about science, scientists, and the people affected by scientific discovery? Where do your views of science fit within this depiction?

SP3176 | The Universe (Reloaded)

The purest goals of science are to understand more about ourselves, about the things around us, about our origins. Achieving this is perhaps not as practical as inventing a machine to do things more efficiently, or as critical as developing a drug to fight a disease. Such goals however are meaningful in shaping the way we think, and help us to find optimal solutions to coexist and connect with the world we live in.
– Dr. Lim Zhi Han (Original creator of ‘The Universe’)

“Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.”
– Carl Sagan

“In the fields of observation, chance favours only the prepared minds.”
– Louis Pasteur

“In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.”
– Galileo Galilei

The quotes above capture the spirit of 76: learning science is not only about mastering concepts, but also about learning how to make judgments from imperfect evidence. That means developing habits of mind and practical skills such as measurement, uncertainty-aware comparison, modeling, troubleshooting, preparation, and communication.

In this course, the main focus will be less on covering content for its own sake and more on strengthening the way scientific thinking is carried out in practice. This includes deciding whether data support a claim, improving a measurement when the evidence is not yet strong enough, comparing experiment with model, and revising either the method or the model when they do not agree. Computation will also be used in this spirit: not as an isolated technical exercise, but as a tool for prediction, comparison, and interpretation.

I also included the painting above to represent another part of 76 that matters just as much: science is not only a way of gaining knowledge, but also a human activity that carries responsibilities beyond the laboratory.

I hope this version of 76 proves demanding, useful, and worth the time and effort it asks of you.

– Chammika Udalagama (Course Coordinator)

The Difference (xkcd.com)

0.1 Topics

Here are the main topics I typically plan to cover. However, I adjust the course pace based on the class’s progress, so we may not get through everything. I won’t be too concerned about this, as it is more important to ensure you fully understand the material than to rush through topics.

1. Particle Physics: A Summary
2. A Whirlwind Tour of Special Relativity
3. Discovering Stuff
4. More About Interactions
5. Centre of Mass Frame*
6. Particle Interactions: Cross Sections
7. Review of QM I
8. Parity
9. Resonances & Lifetimes
10. Nuclear reactions
11. Neutron Moderation
12. Particle Interactions: Processes
13. Getting A Feel For The Nucleus
14. Modelling the Nucleus I: Fermi Model

15. Nuclear Properties I: Size
16. Nuclear Properties II: Binding Energy
17. Review of QM II
18. Nuclear Magic & The Shell Model
19. Review of Quantum Mechanics III*
20. Radioactivity: General Ideas
21. Radioactivity: \(\alpha\)-decay
22. Radioactivity: \(\gamma\)-decay
23. Radioactivity: \(\beta\)-decay
24. Energy: Fission
25. Energy: Fusion

Notes

• I will go through almost all the chapters in the course notes.
• Chapters marked with an asterisk (*) cover crucial prerequisite knowledge.
  I have included this material because I understand that not everyone may be thoroughly familiar with all these necessary topics.
• Chapters bearing double asterisks** are supplementary topics. I have included them for the sake of completion or because it is a fun topic.
• I will typically release notes relevant to a discussion a week in advance.