Ever since the microscope, scientists have been finding new ways to look deeper and find smaller particles. Ancient Greece believed the atom was the smallest particle in the universe. It was later discovered (much later) that there are subatomic particles called protons, electrons, and neutrons. Then, quarks were discovered of six different flavors. The you have gluons to connect all of those particles. Where does it end? Or does it?
I think we are getting very close to finding the smallest particle. Atoms make more sense than ever, although there are still a few questions to be answered. Why do quarks have a charge? I propose that inside quarks are particles that cause it to be positive or negative. Why should up quarks have a 2/3 positive charge? Why do down quarks have a 1/3 negative charge? I think that answer lies in even smaller particles that determine a quark's flavor. Perhaps a certain amount of a particle changes the charge. Also, different flavors of quarks still have the same charge, but are of different mass. Charm quarks have the same charge as up quarks, but a much greater mass. Why is that? That answer probably lies in the particles within.
That is why I don't think we have reached the smallest particle yet. Should there be one? I think there would have to be an initial particle in order to form any other particles later. There needs to be a starting particle to form the particles which form larger particles which after many particles are formed, forms quarks, which form protons, neutrons, and electrons which form atoms which form... you get the idea.
There must be a starting point. Everything had to come from some starting particle, which we have yet to discover, or perhaps already have. Therefore, I believe there is a smallest particle in the universe and hopefully someday, humans will be able to find it.
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A whole week gone and still no comments. Should I post another topic?
ReplyDeleteok dan
ReplyDeleteyou keep on talking about quarks. apperently you are addicted to them or you just find them to be fasinating
any ways electrons are still the smallest known partical being measured at a little over 200 times smaller than protons.
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ReplyDeleteok so i beeped up my comment so I deleted it but here is an edited version.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say this in the last topic but the conservation of mass and energy can be violated because they are strictly a parts of classical phisics not quantam or relative. In the quantum and relative perspectives many parts of classical phisics are violated due to the extreme conditions.
Dan- in response to your first comment, I didn't comment because I agree with you 100%. I had nothing to say.
ReplyDeleteHow would we even know when we had found the smallest particle? What would it hurt if we randomly kept theorizing that there are smaller and smaller particles and naming them before we even had evidence that they existed so we would always be right?
Yes Aaron, I am addicted to quarks. Don't call the cops on me, please. I could get caught with quarks in the back seat of my dad's car, and then I would be penalized for quark trafficking.
ReplyDeleteI understand how conservation of mass and energy are supposed to be only part of classical physics, but why must quantum mechanics and classical physics be so different? Why can't we find a connection?
Let's allow that to be the next topic so that I don't have to try and think to come up with the next topic, as it has been provided here.
Thanks for the clarification, Dorothea. I'm just making sure that everybody is still reading the blog.
well there is nothing better to do
ReplyDeleteGreat, thanks Aaron.
ReplyDelete