Structure Functions of the Nucleon

Abstract

In these lectures recent experiments on deep inelastic scattering are described in which nucleon structure functions were measured. These structure functions are related to quark distributions and therefore yield information on the internal quark structure of the nucleon. The measured Q2 dependence of the structure functions represents a beautiful confirmation of the scaling violation predicted by the theory of quantum chromo dynamics (QCD). The results from the New Muon Collaboration allow in addition, by using the QCD description, a precise determination of the gluon distribution inside the nucleon. Several years ago the European Muon Collaboration (EMC) questioned the influence of the nuclear environment on the internal structure of the nucleon. Later experiments confirmed this so-called EMC effect and also showed nuclear shadowing at small values of the Bjorken x parameter.