fundamental particles

Fundamental particles are the basic building blocks of matter and energy in the universe. They are not composed of smaller particles and are classified into two main categories: fermions and bosons. Fermions are particles that follow the Pauli exclusion principle and make up matter. They include quarks and leptons. Quarks combine to form protons and neutrons, while leptons include electrons and neutrinos. Bosons are force carrier particles that mediate interactions between fermions. The most well-known bosons include the photon, W and Z bosons, gluons, and the Higgs boson. The Standard Model of particle physics describes these fundamental particles and their interactions through three of the four known fundamental forces: electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions.