boson: One of a group of particles that often carry forces between other particles.
field: (in physics) A region in space where certain physical effects operate, such as magnetism (created by a magnetic field), gravity (by a gravitational field), mass (by a Higgs field) or electricity (by an electrical field).
flavor: (in physics) One of the three varieties of subatomic particles called neutrinos. The three flavors are called muon neutrinos, electron neutrinos and tau neutrinos. A neutrino can change from one flavor to another over time.
force: Some outside influence that can change the motion of an object, hold objects close to one another, or produce motion or stress in a stationary object.
forest: An area of land covered mostly with trees and other woody plants.
integer: A whole (not fractional) number. One, 7, 21 and 381 are all examples of integers. Two-thirds is not.
matter: Something that occupies space and has mass. Anything on Earth with matter will have a property described as "weight."
muon: A type of unstable subatomic particle. Most on Earth formed when cosmic rays interact with atoms in the atmosphere. As leptons, muons belong to the same class of particles as the electron. Their mass, however, is roughly 200 times bigger. Muons tend to be short-lived. It tends to survive only 2.2 microseconds before it decaying (transforming) into an electron and two types of neutrinos.
neutrino: A subatomic particle with a mass close to zero. Neutrinos rarely react with normal matter. Three kinds of neutrinos are known.
neutron: A subatomic particle carrying no electric charge that is one of the basic pieces of matter. Neutrons belong to the family of particles known as hadrons.
nucleus: Plural is nuclei. (in physics) The central core of an atom, containing most of its mass.
particle: A minute amount of something.
physicist: A scientist who studies the nature and properties of matter and energy.
proton: A subatomic particle that is one of the basic building blocks of the atoms that make up matter. Protons belong to the family of particles known as hadrons.
quantum: (pl. quanta) A term that refers to the smallest amount of anything, especially of energy or subatomic mass.
quarks: A family of subatomic particles that each carries a fractional electric charge. Quarks are building blocks of particles called hadrons. Quarks come in types, or “flavors,” known as: up, down, strange, charm, top and bottom.
strong force: (in physics) A fundamental interaction in nature, one that binds quarks together to make other types of subatomic particles, such as protons and neutrons. This force also holds protons and neutrons together within an atom’s nucleus. Not all subatomic particles can “feel” this force. Electrons and other leptons, for instance, are immune to it.
subatomic: Anything smaller than an atom, which is the smallest bit of matter that has all the properties of whatever chemical element it is (like hydrogen, iron or calcium).
