• Question: what is the particle theory

    Asked by Josh to Adrian, Gaia, Jim, Scott, Vicky on 11 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Adrian Buzatu

      Adrian Buzatu answered on 11 Mar 2016:

      Particle physics is the theory that studies the elementary particles and their interactions. Elementary particles are the fundamental ingredients of the Universe. Their interactions (also called forces) are the recipe of the Universe. The current theory is 50 years old and called the Standard Model. It has been confirmed by all experiments of particle physics. Its last prediction was the existence of a Higgs boson, confirmed by the experiments in 2012. We know that this theory is not the ultimate theory, as there are questions still not answered. We hope to make discoveries of new particles at CERN to suggest to theorists how a new theory that extends the Standard Model would be.

    • Photo: Scott Lawrie

      Scott Lawrie answered on 11 Mar 2016:

      The theory of particle physics tries to explain how the universe works. Everything you can interact with, eat, touch, see and hear is made up of just a few particles. Those microscopic particles arrange themselves in different ways – like Lego building blocks – to make up the big we know about in our every day lives. So we need to have a particle theory to explain the things we see!

Comments