"According to the Standard Model of particle physics, a subatomic particle can be either a composite particle, which is composed of other particles, or an elementary particle, which is not composed of other particles."
Discusses the three types of subatomic particles ─ protons, neutrons, and electrons ─ and their properties (e.g. mass, charge, location).
Atoms: Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter. They consist of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Protons: Protons are subatomic particles that have a positive charge. They are located in the nucleus of an atom.
Neutrons: Neutrons are subatomic particles that have no charge. They are located in the nucleus of an atom.
Electrons: Electrons are subatomic particles that have a negative charge. They orbit the nucleus of an atom.
Atomic Number: The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
Isotopes: Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.
Atomic Mass: The atomic mass is the mass of an atom. It is determined by the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
Energy Levels: Energy levels are the different levels of energy that electrons can occupy around the nucleus of an atom.
Quantum Mechanics: Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics that deals with the behavior of particles at a microscopic level.
Wave-Particle Duality: According to the wave-particle duality principle, subatomic particles exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior.
Electron Configuration: Electron configuration is the arrangement of electrons around the nucleus of an atom.
Valence Electrons: Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom.
Ionic Bonds: Ionic bonds are chemical bonds formed by the transfer of electrons between atoms.
Covalent Bonds: Covalent bonds are chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms.
Electron Affinity: Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when an atom gains an electron.
Ionization Energy: Ionization energy is the energy needed to remove an electron from an atom.
Nuclear Radiation: Nuclear radiation is the release of energy from the nucleus of an atom in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves.
Radioactive Decay: Radioactive decay is the process by which unstable nuclei decay and release nuclear radiation.
Half-Life: Half-life is the time required for half of a sample of a radioactive isotope to decay.
Particle Accelerators: Particle accelerators are devices used to accelerate subatomic particles to high speeds.
Particle Physics: Particle physics is the study of the behavior and properties of subatomic particles.
Standard Model: The Standard Model is the current theoretical framework that explains the behavior of subatomic particles.
Supersymmetry: Supersymmetry is a proposed theory that suggests the existence of new, yet undiscovered subatomic particles.
Dark Matter: Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that is believed to make up a significant portion of the universe.
Dark Energy: Dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that is believed to be responsible for the acceleration of the expansion of the universe.
Protons: Positively-charged subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons in an atom determines its atomic number and therefore its identity.
Neutrons: Neutral subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They have a mass similar to that of a proton and affect the stability of the nucleus.
Electrons: Negatively charged subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus in shells. They have a much smaller mass than protons and neutrons and are responsible for chemical reactions and bonding.
Positrons: Positively charged particles with the same mass as electrons, but opposite charge. They are produced naturally in certain radioactive decay processes, and can also be artificially created using particle accelerators.
Antiprotons: Negatively charged particles with the same mass as protons, but opposite charge. They are produced by colliding high-energy particles in particle accelerators.
Muons: Negatively charged particles that are 200 times heavier than electrons. They are produced naturally in cosmic radiation, and can also be created in particle accelerators.
Tau particles: Negatively charged particles that are even heavier than muons. They are produced in particle accelerators and in certain types of radioactive decay.
Gluons: Subatomic particles that mediate the strong force between quarks, which makes up protons and neutrons.
W and Z bosons: Subatomic particles that mediate the weak nuclear force, which is responsible for radioactive decay.
Neutrinos: Subatomic particles with very little mass and no charge. They are produced in nuclear reactions, as well as in the sun and other stars. They are very difficult to detect and have been the subject of much research in recent years.
Quarks: Subatomic particles that make up protons and neutrons. There are six different types of quarks, each with a different mass and charge.
Higgs boson: Subatomic particle that gives other particles mass. It was discovered in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.
"A composite particle, for example, a baryon like a proton or neutron, is composed of three quarks or a meson, which is composed of two quarks."
"Elementary particles, such as quarks or electrons, muons, and tau particles, are not composed of other particles and are considered fundamental building blocks."
"Particle physics and nuclear physics study these particles and how they interact."
"Most force carrying particles like photons or gluons are called bosons."
"[Force carrying particles] do not have rest mass or discrete diameters (other than pure energy wavelength)."
"[Fermions] have rest mass and cannot overlap or combine."
"Experiments show that light could behave like a stream of particles (called photons) as well as exhibiting wave-like properties."
"The concept of wave-particle duality reflects that quantum-scale particles behave both like particles and like waves."
"They are sometimes called wavicles to reflect this behavior."
"The wave-particle duality has been shown to apply not only to photons but to more massive particles as well."
"Interactions of particles in the framework of quantum field theory are understood as creation and annihilation of quanta of corresponding fundamental interactions."
"This blends particle physics with field theory."
"Even among particle physicists, the exact definition of a particle has diverse descriptions."
"A particle is a collapsed wave function."
"A particle is a quantum excitation of a field."
"A particle is an irreducible representation of the Poincaré group."
"A particle is an observed thing."
"These professional attempts at the definition of a particle include..."
"Particle physics and nuclear physics study these particles and how they interact."