Particle zoo

In particle physics, the term particle zoo^[1][2] is used colloquially to describe a relatively extensive list of the then known "elementary particles" that almost look like hundreds of species in the zoo.

In the history of particle physics, the situation was particularly confusing in the late 1960s. Before the discovery of quarks, hundreds of strongly interacting particles (hadrons) were known. It was later discovered that they were not elementary particles, but rather composites of the quarks. The set of particles believed today to be elementary is known as the Standard Model. According to string theory, all particles in the "zoo" have a common ancestor, namely a vibrating string.

Further reading

• A Tour of the Subatomic Zoo: A Guide to Particle Physics. By Cindy Schwarz. Taylor & Francis US, 1997
• Raymond A. Serway, Clement J. Moses, Curt A. Moyer. Modern Physics. Cengage Learning, 2005.

References and citations

v t e Particles in physics Elementary Fermions Quarks u u d d c c s s t t b b Leptons e− e+ μ− μ+ τ− τ+ ν e ν e ν μ ν μ ν τ ν τ Bosons Gauge γ g W± · Z Scalar H0 Others Ghosts Hypothetical Superpartners Gauginos Gluino Gravitino Others Axino Chargino Higgsino Neutralino Sfermion Others A0 Dilaton G J Majorana fermion m Tachyon X Y W' Z' Sterile neutrino Composite Hadrons Baryons / Hyperons N p n Δ Λ Σ Ξ Ω Mesons / Quarkonia π ρ η η′ φ ω J/ψ ϒ θ K B D T Others Atomic nuclei Atoms Diquarks Exotic atoms Positronium Muonium Tauonium Onia Superatoms Molecules Hypothetical Exotic hadrons Exotic baryons Dibaryon Pentaquark Skyrmion Exotic mesons Glueball Tetraquark Others Mesonic molecule Pomeron Quasiparticles Davydov soliton Exciton Hole Magnon Phonon Plasmaron Plasmon Polariton Polaron Roton Trion Lists Baryons Mesons Particles Quasiparticles Timeline of particle discoveries Wikipedia books Hadronic Matter Particles of the Standard Model Leptons Quarks Physics portal