Following the discovery of the Higgs boson, Frank Close has produced this major revision to his classic and compelling introduction to the fundamental particles that make up the universe.

An Introduction to the Standard Model of Particle Physics familiarizes readers with what is considered tested and accepted and in so doing, gives them a grounding in particle physics in general. Whenever possible, Dr. Mann takes an historical approach showing how the model is linked to the physics that most of us have learned in less challenging areas. Dr. Mann reviews special relativity and classical mechanics, symmetries, conservation laws, and particle classification; then working from the tested paradigm of the model itself, he: Describes the Standard Model in terms of its electromagnetic, strong, and weak components Explores the experimental tools and methods of particle physics Introduces Feynman diagrams, wave equations, and gauge invariance, building up to the theory of Quantum Electrodynamics Describes the theories of the Strong and Electroweak interactions Uncovers frontier areas and explores what might lie beyond our current concepts of the subatomic world Those who work through the material will develop a solid command of the basics of particle physics. The book does require a knowledge of special relativity, quantum mechanics, and electromagnetism, but most importantly it requires a hunger to understand at the most fundamental level: why things exist and how it is that anything happens. This book will prepare students and others for further study, but most importantly it will prepare them to open their minds to the mysteries that lie ahead. Ultimately, the Large Hadron Collider may prove the model correct, helping so many realize their greatest dreams ... or it might poke holes in the model, leaving us to wonder an even more exciting possibility: that the answers lie in possibilities so unique that we have not even dreamt of them.

The 2013 discovery of the Higgs boson posed a challenge to both physics undergraduates and their instructors. Since particle physics is seldom taught at the undergraduate level, the question 'what is the Higgs and why does its discovery matter?' is a common question among undergraduates. Equally, answering this question is a problem for physics instructors.This book is an attempt to put the key concepts of particle physics together in an appealing way, and yet give enough extra tidbits for students seriously considering graduate studies in particle physics. It starts with some recapitulation of relativity and quantum mechanics, and then builds on it to give both conceptual ideas regarding the Standard Model of particle physics as well as technical details. It is presented in an informal lecture style, and includes 'remarks' sections where extra material, history, or technical details are presented for the interested student. The last lecture presents an assessment of the open questions, and where the future might take us.

This particle physics textbook for senior undergraduates and early graduates explains the Standard Model of particle physics, both the theory and its experimental basis. The point of view is thoroughly modern. Theory relevant to the experiments is developed in detail but in a simplified way without needing full knowledge of quantum field theory.

The second volume of this authoritative work traces the material outlined in the first, but in far greater detail and with a much higher degree of sophistication. The authors begin with the theory of the electromagnetic interaction, and then consider hadronic structure, exploring the accuracy of the quark model by examining the excited states of baryons and mesons. They introduce the color variable as a prelude to the development of quantum chromodynamics, the theory of the strong interaction, and go on to discuss the electroweak interaction--the broken symmetry of which they explain by the Higgs mechanism--and conclude with a consideration of grand unification theories.

"Unique in its coverage of all aspects of modern particle physics, this textbook provides a clear connection between the theory and recent experimental results, including the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN. It provides a comprehensive and self-contained description of the Standard Model of particle physics suitable for upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students studying experimental particle physics. Physical theory is introduced in a straightforward manner with full mathematical derivations throughout. Fully-worked examples enable students to link the mathematical theory to results from modern particle physics experiments. End-of-chapter exercises, graded by difficulty, provide students with a deeper understanding of the subject. Online resources available at www.cambridge.org/MPP feature password-protected fully-worked solutions to problems for instructors, numerical solutions and hints to the problems for students and PowerPoint slides and JPEGs of figures from the book"--

Introduces the fundamentals of particle physics with a focus on modern developments and an intuitive physical interpretation of results.