What is Quark?
Before moving into nuclear physics, students should note that matter is made up of particles called Electrons, Protons, and Neutrons. However, the fundamental or primary constituent of this matter is called quark. Several quarks combine to form composite particles, also known as hadrons. The protons and neutrons are also known as hadrons. Protons and neutrons are known as the constituents of matter and components of the atomic nucleus.
Quark is the simplest part of a particle to date. It is the elementary particle that makes up the entire matter surrounding us. Quark is denoted by the letter “q”.
Few of the Crucial Aspects of Quark Particle
Example of Quark
As per quark physics definition, it is the most fundamental particle present inside matter. However, they cannot have an independent existence like protons or neutrons. Therefore, two or more quarks combine to form a composite particle called hadrons.
Proton is a stable hadron that comprises one down quark and two up quarks. Furthermore, a neutron consists of one up quark and two down types of quark. These concepts will help you understand what quark is and how the standard theoretical model explaining quark also explains the presence of other elementary particles and other unobserved particles.
Antiquark – The antiparticles of quarks are known as antiquark. They are similar to quarks in terms of lifetime and spin. However, they differ in terms of concerning charges from that of a quark.
The Building Block of Matter – Matter is made up of two kinds of fundamental particles
Quark
Leptons
Both are segregated into six different types, thereby, 12 different types of particles are responsible for forming matter.
Types of Quarks
There are six types of quark, among which up, down and strange are the primary types. These are also known as the flavour of quark. Knowing the properties will help you know what a quark is.
Up – These particles have the lowest mass and hence are the lightest. This is one of the reasons why these quark particles are most stable. It is represented as U and antiquark is expressed as U. The up quark mass ranges from 1.7 to 3.1 Me \[\frac{V}{C^{2}} \], and quark charges are equal to \[\frac{2}{3} e\].
Down – These particles have low mass followed by up quark and hence are highly stable. It is represented as d and antiquark is described as d. The down quark mass ranges from 4.1 to 5.7 Me \[\frac{V}{C^{2}}\] and its electric charge is equal to \[\frac{-1}{3} e\].
Strange – This is the third-largest quark amongst the six. Strange Quark is represented as S and antiquark is represented as S. The strange quark has an electric charge equal to \[\frac{-1}{3} e\].
Bottom – Bottom quark is represented as b and its subsequent antiquark are represented as b. The bottom quark mass approximates 4.1 Ge \[\frac{V}{C^{2}}\], and the quark charge is equal to \[\frac{-1}{3} e\]..
Top – Top quark is represented as t and antiquark are represented as t. The quark mass is 172.9 +1.5 Ge \[\frac{V}{C^{2}}\], and quark charges are equal to \[\frac{2}{3} e\].
Charm – It is represented by C and antiquark is denoted as C. The electric charge of the charm quark is equal to \[\frac{+2}{3} \].
On the other hand, leptons are another type of elemental material that makeup matter and are divided into 6 types known as an electron, electron neutrino, muon neutrino, muon, tau neutrino, and tau.
Multiple-Choice Questions
Name the Particle Which is Made up of 1 up Quark and 2 Down Quarks?
Electron
Atom
Proton
Tachyon
Neutron
Name the Fundamental Particles Which Help Create Strong Force Between Quarks?
Leptons
Quarks
Photons
Gluons
All of the above
Learn the fundamentals of quark by reading these notes. You will also be able to learn quark definition, its types, and related concepts with the help of our Vedantu app. This can be especially helpful since you can access the study material at your convenience.
FAQs on Quark
1. Define Quark.
To answer what is Quark, it is the most fundamental particle present in a matter. However, it can’t be present in a matter independently and has to combine with other quarks to form hadrons. Quark is the most elemental form of matter known to humans to date and that has been testified. Researchers suggest that quark is made of some minute particles known as “Preons” but these are not testified and proven yet. Hence we can say that quark is the smallest part of a matter known to us. It is further divided into three basic types known as up quark, down quark, and strange quark. Quark is represented by the letter “q” as a shorthand notation.
2. What are Quarks Made of?
Quarks are known as the fundamental most particles present in the universe, which can be measured. However, a few theories suggest, quarks might contain smaller units named Preons. However, their presence hasn’t been testified. Quarks are further divided into different types like the up quark, down quark, and the strange quark. Three quarks in different combinations combine to form electrons, protons, and neutrons which in turn form the matter. As the existence of prions is not testified and proven, we consider quarks the most elemental form of matter and do not contain any as of now.
3. How Many Types of Quark Particles are Known?
There are six kinds of quark particle physics present, namely up, down, top, bottom, charm, and strange. These are also known as flavors of quark. An up quark is the lightest compared to all the quarks, and has \[\frac{2}{3}e\] electronic charge. It is represented through the letter “U” and because of its lowest mass, it is more stable than the others. A down quark is heavier than the up quark hence, it is less stable than the up quark. Down quark is represented by the letter “D” and its antiparticle is represented by “D”. It is \[\frac{-1}{3} e\] electrically charged. The strange quark is the third lightest quark out of all and is represented by the letter “S” and has an electric charge of \[\frac{-1}{3} e\]. To know more about the types of quarks, visit Vedantu or read the above article about quarks.
4. What is matter and antimatter? Define the elemental particles that make up the matter?
Anything around us is made up of matter, it could exist in solid, liquid and gaseous state. Matter is composed of particles like protons, electrons and neutrons. These particles are a combination of subatomic particles and elemental matter called “quarks”. There are 6 different types of quarks known as, up quark, down quark, strange quark, top quark, bottom quark and charm quark. On the other hand, matter is made up of other elemental particles called the “”leptons”. Similar to quarks, leptons are also 6 types known as electron, electron neutrino, muon neutrino, muon, tau and tau neutrino. On the other hand there is something called the anti-matter which is made up of the anti-particles like anti-protons, positrons etc, they are charged opposite to the electrons, protons in normal matter but they do obey all the physical laws as usual. The anti matter that exists is only created during collisions and is destroyed very soon after the collision.
5. What is quark theory?
Quarks are the most elemental particles that make up the hadrons also known as electrons and protons. Different combinations of three quarks make up electrons and protons. Quarks are denoted by the letter “q” and are of 6 types namely, up quark, down quark, strange quark, top quark, bottom quark, and charm quark. Leptons are the other elemental particles that makeup matter. Quark theory says that the quarks have mass and spin but they do not have a structure. It means that the quarks are the most elemental material and can not be divided further. However, the quarks do not occur in singular form and two or more quarks pair up to form hadrons like electrons and protons. During the 1960s, theorists and researchers thought that electrons and protons are made up of some subatomic particles and tried to prove it. Later in the 1960s, Murray Gell-Mann and George Zweig discovered that the most elemental particles which make up the electrons, protons, are the quarks. No scientist later could prove that the quarks are made of any further smaller particles till date. To know more about the quarks and its types please read the above article or visit Vedantu.