Subatomic Physics

Subatomic physics probes the structure of matter at its most fundamental level, exploring the constituents of atomic nuclei and the forces that bind them. Particle physics focuses on the Standard Model — the quantum field theory describing quarks, leptons, gauge bosons, and the Higgs boson — and searches for physics beyond it, from supersymmetry to dark matter candidates. Experimental particle physics drives the construction of the world’s largest accelerators and most sensitive detectors, pushing the energy frontier at facilities like CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. Nuclear physics examines how protons and neutrons assemble into nuclei through the strong and residual nuclear forces, explaining nuclear structure via shell models and collective models, and governs the processes of radioactive decay, fission, and fusion. Nuclear astrophysics bridges these two sub-topics with stellar physics, explaining how the elements are forged in stars and supernovae through nucleosynthesis. Together, particle and nuclear physics address some of the deepest questions in science: what is matter made of, what forces hold it together, and what new physics lies beyond our current understanding.