What are the different classifications of sub-atomic particles?

Firstly, particles can be split up into to main categories: hadrons and leptons.

Hadrons interact with the strong force and are made of quarks. Leptons don't interact with the strong force and are fundamental particles (they aren't made of quarks). Examples of leptons are electrons, muons and neutrinos.

Hadrons can further be sub-divided again: Baryons and Mesons. 

Baryons are made up of three quarks, where as mesons are made up of a quark and anti-quark. Examples of baryons are protons (up up down) and mesons are pions (up antidown).

Answered by Jordan B. Physics tutor

1472 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

A cannon ball is fired at an angle 30 degrees from horizontal from a cannon with a speed 30km/h, a) calculate how high the cannonball flies, and the horizontal distance from the cannon the cannonball reaches


What are the similarities and differences between gravitational and electric fields?


A hot air balloon is travelling at a speed of 5.0m/s at an angle of 60.0 degrees up from the horizontal. Find the vertical and horizontal components.


How can I measure the orbital period of a satellite around Earth?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo
Cookie Preferences