Quantum Physics: the atom, elementary particles, fundamental forces

by Alessio Mangoni

The atom has always been at the center of attention in the sciences that study nature. Initially considered as the fundamental and indivisible particle of matter, hence the name, it has been understood by physics, thanks to its theories, which have revealed its components and properties. The birth and development of quantum physics, which has revolutionized the thinking of many, both scientists and non-scientists, has finally allowed for a definitive and elegant description of the particle that forms the molecules that make up the atom. Atoms are the building blocks of matter, while elementary particles are the ultimate constituents of those particles, and thus, also of atoms. Additionally, each fundamental interaction has an elementary particle that acts as the mediator of that force. One example is the photon, the mediator of the electromagnetic interaction. We will discuss the elementary particles of physics, grouped within the so-called Standard Model, such as quarks, which make up protons and neutrons that, in turn, form the nucleus of atoms.

Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2025