The Standard Model of Elementary Particles

Three Generations of Matter (Fermions)

I II III
2.4 MeV 2.4 MeV 1.27 GeV 1.27 GeV 171.2 GeV 171.2 GeV 0
+⅔ -⅔ +⅔ -⅔ +⅔ -⅔ 0
½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1

u u c c t t 
up anti-up charm anti-charm top anti-top photon

4.8 MeV 4.8 MeV 104 MeV 104 MeV 4.2 GeV 4.2 GeV 0
-⅓ +⅓ -⅓ +⅓ -⅓ +⅓ 0
½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1

d d s s b b g
Quarks

down anti-down strange anti-strange bottom anti-bottom gluon

<2.2 MeV <2.2 MeV <0.17 MeV <0.17 MeV <15.5MeV <15.5MeV 91.2 GeV
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½

ℯ ℯ     z
1
o
electron electron- muon muon- tau-
tau neutrino weak force
neutrino antineutrino neutrino antineutrino antineutrino

0.511 MeV 0.511 MeV 105.7 MeV 105.7 MeV 1.777 GeV 1.777 GeV 80.4 GeV
-1 +1 -1 +1 -1 +1 ±1 Bosons (Fores)
½
-
½
+
½
- ½
+
½
-
½
+
 
1

    w ±
Leptons

electron positron muon anti-muon tau anti-tau weak force

Particle Antiparticle
0.511 MeV 0.511 MeV
Mass
-1 +1
Charge ½ ½
- +
Spin
Symbol
Name
 
electron positron
 Feynman Diagrams Reference Sheet
FERMIONS (Hadrons, leptons)

EXCHANGE PARTICLE (For AQA all interactions use this wavy line, institute of physics
only recognizes this as a photon.)

The weak force

These interactions involve the weak force
+ - o
(w , w or z ), see your standard model. U d U d
d U
p -
w-
w- -

ℯ ℯ
n The Feynman diagram shows how a neutron can decay into a proton releasing
a weak force (intermediate vector boson). This then releases an electron
(beta particle) and an electron anti-neutrino. This decay changes the nature,
(or flavor) of a quark within the nucleon as shown in the diagram on the right.
The strong force
These interactions occur between nucleons
in the nucleus and quarks within nucleons

U g
The Feynman diagram shows how a neutron

p n
can decay into a proton releasing a pion (A
Meson containing a strange quark). This
g U
π- exchange of charged pions overcomes the
repulsion between protons in the nucleus d g
which would usually blow the nucleus to
pieces. The diagram on the right shows the
n p exchange of gluons which bind the quarks
within a proton together. The same also
happens in Neutrons

Electrical forces
These interactions occur between nucleons -
in the nucleus and quarks within nucleons

-  - -
This Feynman diagram shows the exchange of a photon between two
-
-  electrons resulting in the electrons moving away from each other in the
same way as two ice skaters on a collision course would move away from
each other if they kept throwing things at each other! The diagram above
shows how the process is constant and involves many photons.

Be aware of the following notation, although it is not used in AQA exams and materials it may be used in
other revision materials and physics textbooks.
GLUONS BOSONS (w or z)
Particle Physics Reference Sheet
LEPTONS

HADRONS
BARYONS MESONS -rays

ANTIPROTON ANTINEUTRON NEUTRON PROTON KAONS (K) PIONS (π) ELECTRON POSITRON

ELECTRON-NEUTRINO ELECTRON-ANTINEUTRINO
KEY

Rectangles indicate fundamental particles

HADRON Quark constitution NEGATIVE MUON POSITIVE MUON

Diamonds indicate types of particle

Pointed rectangles indicate particles made

Proton uud MUON-NEUTRINO MUON-ANTINEUTRINO
up of fundamental particles Anti-proton uud
RED = Antiparticles Neutron udd NEGATIVE TAU POSITIVE TAU
BLUE = Particles
Anti-neutron udd TAU-NEUTRINO TAU-ANTINEUTRINO
Kaon (K+, K-, Ko) us, su, ds
Indicates decay
Pion (π+, π-, πo) ud, du, dd / uu

Baryon LEPTON Symbol Lepton Number Rest energy/MeV

Quarks symbol Charge/e
number
strangeness
Electron -
+1 0.51
Positron + -1 0.51
Up u 0
Electron-neutrino e +1 0
Anti-up u 0 Electron-antineutrino e -1 0
Negative muon - +1 105
Down d 0 Positive muon + -1 105
Muon-neutrino  +1 0
Anti-down d 0 Muon-antineutrino  -1 0
Negative tau - +1 1780
Strange S -1 Positive tau + -1 1780
Tau-neutrino  +1 0
Anti-strange S +1
Tau-antineutrino  -1 0