• Question: What are protons, neutrons and electrons made of?

    Asked by #DefinitelyBrian to Angela, Claire, Ian, Robert, Sarah on 11 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Ian Cade

      Ian Cade answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      As far as anyone knows:

      Protons and neutrons are made up from quarks (two ‘up’ and one ‘down’ quarks make up a proton, and an ‘up’ and two ‘down’ quarks make up a neutron. These are held together by a very short range force (the ‘strong nuclear force’) quite unlike the gravity and electromagnetism that you experience everyday)

      Electrons are not made up of anything smaller.

      But as I say, this is just the best current model and it may be improved in the future to include more subtlety.

    • Photo: Angela Stokes

      Angela Stokes answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Good answer Ian – can’t add to that

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