Introduction to particle physics

Preface The aim of this book is to present fundamental concepts in particle physics. This includes topics such as the theories of quantum electrodynamics, quantum chromodynamics, weak interactions, Feynman diagrams and Feynman rules, important conservation laws and symmetries pertaining to particle dynamics, relativistic field theories, gauge theories, and more. In addition to explaining the underlying theories in a detailed manner, we shall also provide a number of examples that will illustrate the formalisms "in action". This book is primarily based on my lecture notes from teaching this class to university students over several years, and the notes are in turn based on the excellent book "Introduction to Elementary Particles" by D. Griffiths, which they follow closely in structure and choice of examples. I have also included some additional topics and instructive examples which hopefully will allow the reader to obtain a more thorough physical understanding of the material. This book is suitable as material for a full-semester course in introductory particle physics. It is my goal that students who study this book afterwards will find themselves well prepared to dig deeper into the remarkable world of theoretical physics at a more advanced level.