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Articles: My Thoughts | In quest of Infinity-06
- Prof. venkata ramanamurty mallajosyula
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Leptons meant light particles and the electron was identified as a member of the lepton family. As for quarks, it is combinations of them that make up the neutron and the proton. In other words, one can now really say: “I don’t care if it is an ant or the Statue of Liberty. It is all made up of electrons and quarks – that’s it!”
This figure shows the basic building blocks of matter as we know them today. There are essentially two baskets, one containing what are called the quarks, and the other containing what are called leptons [which are supposed to be light compared to quarks]. While there are many leptons and quarks, only a few of them dominate as far as physical matter is concerned. That is to say, atoms are made up of electrons [which represents just one member of the lepton family] while the atomic nucleus is made up of neutrons and protons which can be put together with just up and down quarks. However, this does not mean that the no so visible leptons and quarks have no role to play. On the contrary, without them we cannot explain many physical phenomena.
You might say all this is fine but what is the big deal. Well it is a big deal and to appreciate that, just go back to chemistry, which I guess must be somewhat familiar to you. Chemistry deals with all kinds of chemicals, chemicals that make up drugs, plastics, pesticides and what not. Every single chemical, no matter what it is, is made up of molecules. So are the biological cells; our heart, lungs, liver – you name it – are all made of bio-molecules.
And every molecule, whatever it is, is made up of atoms. And every atom is made up of electrons and quarks. In short, name the most complicated chemical on earth, and one can describe how it all put together with just leptons and quarks – that is the big deal; you need to remember only two basic ingredient types, that is all.
Scientists like to think of things and entities in terms of building blocks. They always say: “Listen; first make it simple, and then develop the theory. This way, you can deal with even complicated things step by step, one step at a time.”
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