List of particles

Non-elementary particles

• Molecule, consists of atoms
  • An atom consists of a nucleus containing both protons (baryon variety of hadron) and neutrons (baryon variety of hadron) with an orbiting electron (lepton) cloud.

• Hadrons, composed of quarks and gluons, three types:
  • Baryons, three quarks
    • Proton, part of the atomic nucleus
    • Neutron, part of the atomic nucleus
    • Hyperons such as the Δ, Λ, Ξ and Ω particles
  • 'Exotic baryons'
    • Pentaquark, made of five quarks
  • Mesons, quark+antiquark
    • Pion
    • Kaon

Elementary particles

• Fermions, of these particles there also exist an anti-particle
  • Leptons, six types:
    • Electron, the antiparticle of the electron is called positron
    • Muon
    • Tauon
    • Electron-neutrino (ν_e), Muon-neutrino (ν_μ), and Tauon-neutrino (ν_τ)
  • Quarks, six types: (up, down, strange, charm, top and bottom)

• Bosons, these particles are their own anti-particle. They carry the fundamental forces of nature.
  • Graviton, transmits gravity (not yet observed)
  • Higgs boson, gives particles mass (not yet observed)
  • Photon, transmits electromagnetic force
  • W and Z bosons, transmits weak nuclear force
  • Gluons, transmits strong nuclear force

Referenced By