Subatomic Particles
World A — Chemistry Foundations
R03.01 The Proton (+1)
- Positively charged nucleon.
- Two Up quarks, One Down.
- Defines atomic number (Z).
R03.02 The Neutron (0)
- Neutrally charged nucleon.
- One Up quark, Two Down.
- Provides nuclear stability.
R03.03 Strong Nuclear Force
- Binds quarks and nucleons.
- Strongest fundamental force.
- Extremely short range.
E=mc²
R03.04 Binding Energy
- Mass defect conversion.
- Energy holding nucleus together.
- Released in fission/fusion.
R03.05 The Electron (-1)
- Fundamental lepton particle.
- Negative charge, tiny mass.
- Drives chemical bonding.
R03.06 The Neutrino (0)
- Ghostly, near-massless lepton.
- Rarely interacts with matter.
- Produced in solar fusion.
R03.07 Muon & Tau
- Heavy electron cousins.
- Highly unstable, rapid decay.
- Cosmic ray byproducts.
↑ U
↓ D
R03.08 Up & Down Quarks
- 1st Generation matter.
- Up (+2/3e), Down (-1/3e).
- Compose all stable atoms.
C
S
R03.09 Charm & Strange
- 2nd Generation quarks.
- Heavier, unstable particles.
- Found in cosmic collisions.
T
B
R03.10 Top & Bottom
- 3rd Generation quarks.
- Top is exceptionally massive.
- Decays almost instantly.
R03.11 Color Confinement
- Quarks cannot exist alone.
- Pulling apart creates new pairs.
- Maintains color neutrality.
R03.12 The Photon
- Electromagnetic force carrier.
- Massless, travels at $c$.
- Particle of light.
R03.13 The Gluon
- Strong force carrier.
- Binds quarks together.
- Carries color charge itself.
R03.14 W & Z Bosons
- Weak nuclear force carriers.
- Massive, short-lived.
- Drives radioactive decay.
R03.15 The Higgs Boson
- Excitation of Higgs Field.
- Imparts mass to particles.
- The "God Particle" mechanism.
R03.16 Antimatter
- Opposite charge, same mass.
- Positrons, Antiprotons.
- Annihilates upon contact.
R03.17 Dark Matter
- Invisible mass in universe.
- Interacts only via gravity.
- WIMPs or Axion candidates.
R03.18 The Graviton
- Hypothetical force carrier.
- Mediates gravitational pull.
- Links quantum and relativity.