Quarks

Quarks are fundamental particles that make up atoms and the subatomic particles within them. They are the building blocks of matter, together with the leptons. Quarks come in six varieties, known as 'flavours': up, down, strange, charm, bottom, and top. They are held together by the strong nuclear force, the strongest of the four fundamental forces of nature. Quarks also play an important role in particle physics and in the structure of matter on the smallest scales. Their interaction with other particles is responsible for how matter behaves under extreme conditions, such as those found in the early universe and in high-energy particle accelerators. Quarks are essential in understanding the structure and behavior of the universe on the smallest scales.