Standard Model of Particles (IMAGE)

DOE/Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Standard Model of Particles

Caption

The Standard Model of elementary particles and forces includes six quarks, which bound together to form composite particles. Physicists have an excellent understanding of how three quarks cluster together to form protons, neutrons and heavier baryons, and how a quark and anti-quark bind together to create pions, kaons and other mesons. Experiments have revealed unexpected examples of composite quark structures -- named X and Y particles -- that are not the usual mesons and baryons.

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Fermilab

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