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Explanation of structure of the subatomic particles to succeed in physical science. Also refer to physics, atom, elements, proton, neutron, electron, nucleus, lepton, quark, neutrino, muon, e-learning, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions Subatomic Particlesby Ron Kurtus (revised 12 July 2007) An atom is made up of subatomic particles. Although the Proton, Neutron and Electron have been considered the fundamental particles of an atom, recent discoveries from experiments with atomic accelerators have shown that there are actually 12 subatomic particles. They are divided into two classes, consisting of Leptons and Quarks. The proton and neutron are no longer considered fundamental particles in this subatomic classification but are actually made up of smaller subatomic particles. Questions you may have include:
This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson. Useful tools: Metric-English Conversion | Scientific Calculator. LeptonsThe Lepton classification of subatomic particles consists of 6 fundamental particles:
Electron, Muon and Tau LeptonsThe Electron remains a fundamental particle, as it was in the original Atomic Theory. It has an electrical charge of (-1) and plays an active role in chemical reactions. The Muon is similar to an Electron, only heavier. It is primarily seen as a result of a high-energy collision in an atomic accelerator. The Tau particle is similar to a Muon, only heavier yet. Muon and Tau particles are unstable and exist in nature for a very short time. NeutrinosNeutrinos are extremely small and have no electrical charge. This makes them extremely difficult to detect. They can possess a large amount of energy and the very rare times they do collide with another particle, that energy can be released. The types of neutrinos are:
QuarksAnother group of subatomic particles are the Quarks. Just like their name, they exhibit unusual characteristics. The fundamental particles among the Quarks are:
(Note: It is unfortunate that scientists choose these somewhat silly names to describe these subatomic particles. It is also unfortunate that the scientific community agreed to continue to use these names.) An usual characteristic of the Quarks is that they have an electrical charge that is either (+2/3) or (-1/3). The reason is that when the original definition of electrical charge of (+1) and (-1) was made, the fact that there were actually smaller particles than the electron (having a -1 charge) and a proton (having a +1 charge) was known. Other particles are made up of combination of Quarks. Up and Down QuarksThe Up Quark has an electrical charge of (+2/3). The Down Quark has an electrical charge of (-1/3). The Proton is made up of two Up Quarks and one Down Quark. The electrical charge of the proton is then: (+2/3) + (+2/3) + (-1/3) = (+1). The Neutron is made up of one Up Quark and two Down Quarks. The resulting electrical charge of the Neutron is: (+2/3) + (-1/3) + (-1/3) = (0). Charm, Strange, Top and Bottom QuarksThe Charm Quark has the same electrical charge as the Up Quark but is heavier. The Top Quark is then heavier than the Charm. The Strange Quark has the same electrical charge as the Down Quark but is heavier. The Bottom Quark is then heavier than the Strange. SummaryAccording to subatomic Theory, the fundamental particles now consist of 6 Lepton particles and 6 Quark particles. Other particles are made up of combination of Quarks. An Electron is still a fundamental particle, but Protons and Neutrons are combinations of Quarks. Know your purpose in life and follow it ResourcesThe following resources provide information on this subject: WebsitesBooks
Top-rated books on Subatomic Particles MiscellaneousMini-quiz to check your understanding1. How were subatomic particles discovered? 2. Why is a neutrino so difficult to detect? 3. How can a Quark have a fraction of a charge? If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in Physical Science. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again. What do you think?Do you have any questions, comments, or opinions on this subject? If so, send an email with your feedback. We will try to get back to you as soon as possible. Share linkFeel free to establish a link from your website to pages in this site. Or use our form to send this link to yourself or a friend. Students and researchersThe Web address of this page is Please include it as a reference in your report, document, or thesis. Where can you go from here?
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