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Welcome to our Physics lesson on Main Features of Standard Model, this is the fourth lesson of our suite of physics lessons covering the topic of Classification of Elementary Particles. Quarks and Charm, you can find links to the other lessons within this tutorial and access additional physics learning resources below this lesson.
What is standard model?
Nowadays, the physics of elementary particles is a distinct branch of modern physics, despite initially it has been a sub-branch of nuclear physics. It is clear that the term "elementary particles" now is outdated as those particles once considered as elementary in the sense of inseparability resulted as composed by two or three smaller ones. Perhaps, even smaller particles will be discovered in the future and so on. Therefore, the actual frame of elementary particles is temporary. It is known as the "standard model" of structure of matter. This model includes three main families of elementary particles:
We have seen so far gluons as mediators of strong interaction between quarks and photons as mediators of electromagnetic interaction between charged particles. Both gluons and photons are massless and have a boson spin equal to 1.
The other two types of interaction are also mediated by particles. The W+ , W- and Z0 weak bosons are responsible for weak interaction. They are massless bosons having a spin equal to 1.
Actually, there are indications that gravitational interaction is mediated by a boson of spin 2 named graviton (as explained earlier). This elementary particle is difficult to be detected experimentally because it is very weak.
You have reached the end of Physics lesson 21.3.4 Main Features of Standard Model. There are 6 lessons in this physics tutorial covering Classification of Elementary Particles. Quarks and Charm, you can access all the lessons from this tutorial below.
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