Explaining Electromagnetic Fields: Mass and Distance

[Tim Edilation]

I have skimmed relevant links in wikipedia, and some external links regarding electromagnetic fields, but would like a simple (I'm no physicist) answer to the following question that I have.

When one, for example, takes two strong permanent magnets and aligns so that there is repulsive/or attractive force at sometimes a surprising large distance, is there really sub-atomic particles from one magnet flitting about so far away from the magnet that it interacts with the other magnet's flitting about 'particles'. Do all atoms have 'particles' flitting about that far from the atom ?
According to the current model/theory do these things/particles have mass ? Thanks

 

[krysith]

Replying as a lazy physicist, I can tell you that the answer you are looking for is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_particle

 

[Tim Edilation]

Thanks