2007-12-29 00:18:29 · 5 answers · asked by Natasha 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
That is a huge debate in physics right now. Are quarks the "fundamental" particles, or is it something else, like superstring theory. Some folks believe that quarks don't even "exist" and that the particles being created in these accelerator experiments is similar to smashing two pocketwatches together, and trying to figure out the pieces that make up a watch from the debris.
However, since we know that neutrons are two down and one up quark, and decay into protons by spitting out an electron and an antineutrino, it begs the question of where that electron came from, and what happens to it when captured? On the face of it, the down quark would appear to be nothing more than an up quark with a captured electron, making the electron and the up quark the "fundamental" particles. But this leaves many unanswered questions, chief among them being why the proton never decay.....so far, no one has seen it happen, and why not if it contains a down quark?
Nobody really knows any of this for sure, it is still a new frontier in science, even after 60+ years of experimentation and theory.
2007-12-29 00:42:13 · answer #1 · answered by Charles M 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
At present, it is believed that quarks are the fundamental fermions that engage in the strong force. There are six different types of quarks: up, down, top, bottom, strange and charmed. Baryons, such as the neutron and proton, are composed of quark triplets: proton (uud), neutron (udd). The mediating boson of the strong force is the gluon, and becase quarks possess color-charge they engage in the strong force and are held together - "confined" - by a continuous exchange of gluons. Electrons are leptons and lack color-charge so they are blind to the color force; the electroweak force that governs their interaction (more specifically its electromagnetic part) is conveyed by the photon (more generally the electroweak force is conveyed by either the photon or one of the weak bosons - W+, W-, and Zo - and the electron is one of six known leptons).
2007-12-29 01:04:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Protons and neutrons are supposedly made up of quarks. Quarks is still under research.
2007-12-29 00:40:42 · answer #3 · answered by Lbd 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The Standard Model doesn't include any subcomponents of quarks - many scientists expect these exist, but none of the theories proposed have been convincingly demonstrated experimentally.
2007-12-29 00:37:36 · answer #4 · answered by peri_renna 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If I told you it was factor x, your next question would be what is factor x made of!
2007-12-29 00:22:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋