What is Fundamental

What is fundamental?: A history

Fundamental is defined as being simple and structureless--not made of anything smaller. In the past, the fundamental elements have been defined as earth, wind, fire, and water. Later on this was redefined as the atom (which was eventually categorized into the periodic table). Of course, it was soon discovered that atoms actually had a structure made of electrons and a nucleus. At this point, the nucleus was defined as fundamental but it was soon discovered again that the nucleus was made of protons and neutrons! DUN DUN DUN! So anyway, turns out protons and neutrons are also made up of even smaller things called quarks. These days, scientists believe that quarks and electrons (which are like 10^-18m small) are the fundamental elements of the world. =)

What is fundamental in modern times?

So these days we're still trying to find more particles. Thus far, we've found about two hundred, although most are not fundamental. It's still possible that even electrons and quarks are made up of even smaller particles!

Today, physicists have created the Standard Model in which every particle and complex interaction is explained via the 6 quarks, 6 leptons, and force carrier particles such as photons. Of course, the Standard Model still doesn't explain everything (gravity for example).

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