Stanford Root

Schedule

Stanford Root

Schedule

PHYSICS 252

Introduction to Particle Physics I (PHYSICS 152)

UNITS:3
GRADING:Letter or Credit/No Credit
LEVEL:Graduate
GER:—

Elementary particles and the fundamental forces. Quarks and leptons. The mediators of the electromagnetic, weak and strong interactions. Interaction of particles with matter; particle acceleration, and detection techniques. Symmetries and conservation laws. Bound states. Decay rates. Cross sections. Feynman diagrams. Introduction to Feynman integrals. The Dirac equation. Feynman rules for quantum electrodynamics and for chromodynamics. Undergraduates register for PHYSICS PHYSICS 152. Graduate students register for PHYSICS PHYSICS 252. (Graduate students will be required to complete additional assignments in a format determined by the instructor.)

Syllabus for selected term:
View Autumn 2026 Syllabus

Sections

1 Term
Lecture 1Open
ID: 24973
0 / 12 enrolled
DAYS:Tuesday, Thursday
TIME:1:30 PM – 2:50 PM
LOCATION:Lathrop 014
INSTRUCTOR:
Tompkins, Lauren
3units
Discussion 1Open
ID: 27870
0 / 12 enrolled
DAYS:Monday
TIME:1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
LOCATION:STLC 104
INSTRUCTOR:
Tompkins, Lauren
3units

PHYSICS 252: Introduction to Particle Physics I (PHYSICS 152)

3 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit

Elementary particles and the fundamental forces. Quarks and leptons. The mediators of the electromagnetic, weak and strong interactions. Interaction of particles with matter; particle acceleration, and detection techniques. Symmetries and conservation laws. Bound states. Decay rates. Cross sections. Feynman diagrams. Introduction to Feynman integrals. The Dirac equation. Feynman rules for quantum electrodynamics and for chromodynamics. Undergraduates register for PHYSICS 152. Graduate students register for PHYSICS 252. (Graduate students will be required to complete additional assignments in a format determined by the instructor.)

Offered in Autumn 2026 at Stanford University.

Autumn 2026 sections

  • Lecture — Tuesday Thursday 1:30 PM – 2:50 PM — Lathrop 014 — Tompkins, Lauren (Graduate)
  • Discussion — Monday 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM — STLC 104 — Tompkins, Lauren (Graduate)

More PHYSICS courses

  • PHYSICS 223: Stochastic and Nonlinear Dynamics (APPPHYS 223, BIO 223, BIOE 213)
  • PHYSICS 230: Graduate Quantum Mechanics I
  • PHYSICS 231: Graduate Quantum Mechanics II
  • PHYSICS 234: Advanced Topics in Quantum Mechanics (PHYSICS 134)
  • PHYSICS 240: Introduction to the Physics of Energy
  • PHYSICS 241: Introduction to Nuclear Energy
  • PHYSICS 253: Survey of Current Topics in Experimental Particle Physics
  • PHYSICS 260: Introduction to Stellar and Galactic Astrophysics (PHYSICS 160)
  • PHYSICS 261: Introduction to Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics (PHYSICS 161)
  • PHYSICS 262: General Relativity
  • PHYSICS 266: Statistical Methods in Experimental Physics (PHYSICS 166)
  • PHYSICS 267: Statistical Methods in Astrophysics

All PHYSICS courses · All departments