SUB-ATOMIC PHYSICS

STANDARD MODEL

Matter is composed of objects even smaller than the atom. These “particles” have been detected in “atom smashers” where atom are made to collide at speeds close to the speed of light.

STANDARD MODELFERMIONS n/2 spin BOSONS

integer spin

QUARKS

LEPTONS

UP CHARM TOP PHOTONe/m force

DOWNSTRANGE BOTTOM Z-BOSON

weak force

W-BOSONweak force

TAUNEUTRINO

MUONNEUTRINO

ELECTRONNEUTRINO

ELECTRON -1

MUON TAU GLUONstrong force

+2 3

-1 3

HIGGS particle source of all mass

NUCLEUS

THE NUCLEUS IS COMPOSED OF PROTONS AND NEUTRONS (fermions)

PROTONS ARE MADE OF 2 UP QUARKSAND 1 DOWN QUARK CHARGE +1 [2x +2/3 AND -1/3]SPIN 3/2NEUTRONS ARE MADE OF 1 UP QUARK AND 2 DOWN QUARKS CHARGE 0 [+2/3 AND 2x -1/3] spin 3/2

ANTI-MATTERFor every particle there is an anti-particle with the same mass and opposite charge. (quarks and anti-quarks, electrons and positrons, etc.)When they meet they annihilate each other with a large burst of energy in the form of photons. This forms the CBR. 90% of all photons in the universe.

As the Big Bang cooled and expanded, particles and anti-particles were created from the energy. These annihilated each other. Particles outnumbered antiparticles by one part in a billion, so normal matter still exists.

Super-symmetryA recent theory proposes that for every sub-atomic fermion particle, there is a matching “Sparticle” which is a boson. And for every boson there is an s-fermion. Thus there are selectrons, sneutrinos, etc.

This simplifies the math and allows for new sources of mass in the universe, perhaps enough to explain the missing mass.

STRING THEORYElementary particles are not points but minute vibrating strings ~10-35 m. These vibrate at a base frequency and at higher harmonics. Different particles correspond to different frequencies.This theory needs 6 extra space dimensions which are curled up infinitesimally small.String Theory reconciles general relativity with quantum theory.It also generates a new boson with zero mass and two units of spin called the Graviton.

M-THEORY

“Branes” float in the 11th dimension, which is gravity’s true habitat. They rarely visit our dimensions and this is why gravity is so weak.True gravity may be strong if we could measure it at small enough distances (Fermis).

String Theory math has an infinite number of solutions, only one of which describes our universe.

Are there an infinite number of other universes?

INFLATION

The observed nature of the post-Big Bang universe, suggests that the universe grew from the size of a sub-atomic particle to the size of a grapefruit ( a 1078 - fold increase in size), in just 10-36 seconds.

Gravity was probably acting as a repulsive force at these small dimensions.

Minute measure fluctuations in the CBR validate the predictions of the inflation theory.

J B S HALDANE

“My own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.”

BALONEY DETECTION

1. How reliable is the source?2. Does the source have a track-record?3. Have the claims been independently verified?4. Do the claims fit into known science?5. Has there been serious skeptical analysis.6. Does the preponderance of evidence agree?7. Is the claim using the rules of reason and toolsof research?8. Is it explaining of merely denying?9. Is the new better than the old?10. Does the claimant have a personal bias?