
Subatomic particle | Definition, Examples, & Classes | Britannica
Dec 12, 2025 · Subatomic particle, any of various self-contained units of matter or energy that are the fundamental constituents of all matter. They include electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks, …
Atom | Definition, Structure, History, Examples, Diagram, & Facts ...
Dec 25, 2025 · Most of the atom is empty space. The rest consists of three basic types of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The protons and neutrons form the …
Subatomic particle - Elementary, Quarks, Leptons | Britannica
Dec 12, 2025 · The term subatomic particle refers both to the true elementary particles, such as quarks and electrons, and to the larger particles that quarks form. Although both are …
Electron | Definition, Mass, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 20, 2025 · Each individual atom consists of smaller particles—namely, electrons and nuclei. These particles are electrically charged, and the electric forces on the charge are responsible …
Subatomic particle - 4 Forces, Quarks, Leptons | Britannica
Dec 12, 2025 · Subatomic particle - 4 Forces, Quarks, Leptons: Quarks and leptons are the building blocks of matter, but they require some sort of mortar to bind themselves together into …
Proton | Definition, Mass, Charge, & Facts | Britannica
Dec 7, 2025 · Neutrons and protons are classified as hadrons, subatomic particles that are subject to the strong force. Hadrons, in turn, have been shown to possess internal structure in …
atomic particles - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Instead, atoms are made up of smaller components called atomic (or subatomic) particles. Atoms consist of electrons that are bound to a tiny nucleus. The nucleus is made of neutrons and …
Atom - Quantum Mechanics, Subatomic Particles, Electrons
Dec 25, 2025 · In all, hundreds of subatomic particles have been discovered since the first unstable particle, the muon, was identified in cosmic rays in the 1930s. By the 1960s patterns …
Subatomic particle - Quarks, Antiquarks, Gluons | Britannica
Dec 12, 2025 · Subatomic particle - Quarks, Antiquarks, Gluons: The baryons and mesons are complex subatomic particles built from more-elementary objects, the quarks. Six types of …
atom - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
These particles (as well as other particles smaller than atoms) are known as subatomic particles. Two of the three types of basic particle in an atom are electrically charged.