Topic Outline: Option D—Relativity and Particle Physics
D1: Introduction to relativity
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
Frames of Reference
D.1.1
Describe what is meant by a frame of reference.
D.1.2
Describe what is meant by a Galilean transformation
Solve problems involving relative velocities using the Galilean transformation
D.1.3
equations
Obj
2
2
3
D2: concepts and postulates of special relativity
Statement
Number
D.2.1
D.2.2
D.2.3
Assessment Statement
Describe what is meant by an inertial frame of reference
State the two postulates of the special theory of relativity
Discuss the concept of simultaneity
Obj
2
1
3
D3: Relativistic kinematics
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
Time Dilation
D.3.1
Describe the concept of a light clock
D.3.2
Define proper time interval
D.3.3
Derive the time dilation formula
Sketch and annotate a graph showing the variation with relative velocity of the
D.3.4
Lorentz factor
D.3.5
Solve problems involving time dilation
Length Contraction
D.3.6
Define proper length
D.3.7
Describe the phenomenon of length contraction
D.3.8
Solve problems involving length contraction
Obj
2
1
3
3
1
2
3
D4: Particles and interactions
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
Description and classification of particles
D.4.1
State what is meant by an elementary particle
D.4.2
Identify elementary particles
D.4.3
Describe particles in terms of mass and various quantum numbers
D.4.4
Classify particles according to spin
D.4.5
State what is meant by an antiparticle
D.4.6
State the Pauli exclusion principle
Fundamental interactions
D.4.7
List the fundamental interactions
D.4.8
Describe the fundamental interactions in terms of exchange particles
Discuss the uncertainty principle for time and energy in the context of particle
D.4.9
creation
Obj
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
3
Feynman diagrams
D.4.10
Describe what is meant by a Feynman diagram
Discuss how a Feynman diagram may be used to calculate probabilities for
D.4.11
fundamental processes
D.4.12
Describe what is meant by virtual particles
Apply the formula for the range R for interactions involving the exchange of a
D.4.13
particle
D.4.14
Describe pair annihilation and pair production through Feynman diagrams
D.4.15
Predict particle processes using Feynman diagrams
2
3
2
2
2
3
D5: Quarks
Statement
Number
D.5.1
D.5.2
D.5.3
D.5.4
D.5.5
D.5.6
D.5.7
D.5.8
D.5.9
D.5.10
Assessment Statement
Obj
List the six types of quark
State the content, in terms of quarks and antiquarks, of hadrons (that is,
baryons and mesons)
State the quark content of the proton and the neutron
Define baryon number and apply the law of conservation of baryon number
Deduce the spin structure of hadrons (that is, baryons and mesons)
Explain the need for color in forming bound states of quarks
State the color of quarks and gluons
Outline the concept of strangeness
Discuss quark confinement
Discuss the interaction that binds nucleons in terms of the color force between
quarks.
1
1
1
2
3
3
1
2
3
3