Particle Physics

atoms · super tiny · forces · matter

Teeny tiny world. Particle physics looks at the smallest pieces that make up all matter and energy in the universe, things so small you could never see them without special machines called particle accelerators.

Elementary particles. Scientists have found that everything is made of even smaller pieces called elementary particles, and particle physics helps us understand what these building blocks are and how they behave.

Forces and fields. Particle physics studies the four basic forces of nature that push and pull these tiny particles around, like gravity, electromagnetism, and two nuclear forces.

How atoms are made. Particle physics explains what's inside atoms, including electrons orbiting nuclei and the protons and neutrons packed inside those nuclei.

Different from nuclear physics. While particle physics studies individual particles and their forces, nuclear physics focuses on studying what happens when protons and neutrons combine together in atomic nuclei.