How small does sub-atomic universe go?

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In summary: So they remain entertaining ideas, rather than science.In summary, the fundamental nature of matter (or energy) has not been fully discovered by humans. There is currently no evidence to suggest that matter is made up of an infinite regress of particles. Quarks are believed to be the building blocks of protons and neutrons, while electrons are considered to be fundamental particles. There is no evidence to suggest that there is a deeper level beyond electrons, but some physicists have proposed the existence of particles such as rishons and preons. However, these theories have not yet been experimentally verified.
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ucf-fisher21
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Hi everybody,

I was just wondering if humans have discovered the fundamental nature of matter (or energy). If not, could matter possibly be made up of an infinite regress of particles?

I've heard that quarks are what make up protons and nuetrons. What about electrons? Are they fundmental or can you break it down farther?
 
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  • #2
ucf-fisher21 said:
Hi everybody,

I was just wondering if humans have discovered the fundamental nature of matter (or energy). If not, could matter possibly be made up of an infinite regress of particles?

I've heard that quarks are what make up protons and nuetrons. What about electrons? Are they fundmental or can you break it down farther?

Electrons are fundamental. They act as point particles (no internal structure) based on experiments. So in this respect, theory and experiment currently agree. Electrons and other fundamental particles exhibit quantum behavior, which is a very strong indicator that there is no deeper level.

If you would like to postulate that there is a deeper level, you will need to come up with a theory that explains what goes on and how it can be tested to determine it is accurate.
 
  • #3
DrChinese said:
Electrons are fundamental.

... as far as we know. (I know you know this; I just wanted to make it clear to the original poster. Everything we know is "as far as we know," so we tend to take it as implicit in everything we say.)

I'd like to add that some physicists have speculated about a possible next level of particles that would combine to form electrons, quarks, etc. Two names that come to my mind are "rishons" and "preons." But as far as I know, these speculations / theories haven't (yet) predicted anything new about particles that could be verified experimentally.
 

1. How small can we see in the sub-atomic universe?

The smallest objects we can see in the sub-atomic universe are atoms, which are approximately 0.1 nanometers in diameter. However, even smaller particles such as protons, neutrons, and electrons make up atoms and cannot be seen with traditional microscopes.

2. How small are sub-atomic particles?

Sub-atomic particles, such as protons, neutrons, and electrons, are incredibly small. They range in size from approximately 0.00000000001 nanometers (for electrons) to 0.000000000100 nanometers (for protons and neutrons). These particles are so small that they cannot be seen even with the most powerful microscopes.

3. How small is the Planck length?

The Planck length is considered to be the smallest possible unit of length in the universe. It is approximately 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000001 meters, or 1.616199 × 10^-35 meters. This is an incredibly small distance and is thought to be the limit of our current understanding of the sub-atomic universe.

4. Can we break down particles into smaller components?

Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that sub-atomic particles can be broken down into smaller components. However, some theories suggest that there may be even smaller, undiscovered particles that make up the sub-atomic universe. More research and experimentation is needed to confirm or refute these theories.

5. How do we know that particles are so small?

Scientists use various methods and technologies, such as particle accelerators and electron microscopes, to study and observe sub-atomic particles. Through these experiments and observations, we can determine the size and properties of these particles. Additionally, mathematical equations and theories, such as quantum mechanics, also provide evidence for the existence and size of sub-atomic particles.

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