quark

(noun)

In the Standard Model, an elementary subatomic particle that forms matter. Quarks are never found alone in nature, but combine to form hadrons, such as protons and neutrons.

Related Terms

Examples of quark in the following topics:

  • Binding Energy and Nuclear Forces

    • It is the attractive force that binds together particles known as quarks (to form the nucleons themselves).
    • Gluons hold quarks together with a force like that of an electric charge (but of far greater power).
    • Similarly, even though nucleons are made of quarks in combinations which cancel most gluon forces (they are "color neutral"), some combinations of quarks and gluons leak away from nucleons in the form of short-range nuclear force fields that extend from one nucleon to another nucleon in close proximity.