What are the six known quarks? Summarize their properties.

Quarks are elementary particles that make up the protons and neutrons in atomic nuclei. They come in six different types, or "flavors," which have distinct properties. Quarks are never found alone in nature – they always combine to form other particles through the strong nuclear force, one of the four fundamental forces in nature.

The six known types of quarks are the Up quark (u), the Down quark (d), the Charm quark (c), the Strange quark (s), the Top quark (t), and the Bottom quark (b).

Below is a summary of the properties of each quark: 1. Up Quark (u): - Mass: Approximately \(2.2\,\text{MeV/c}^2\) - Electric Charge: +\(\frac{2}{3}e\) - Participates in the strong nuclear force 2. Down Quark (d): - Mass: Approximately \(4.7\,\text{MeV/c}^2\) - Electric Charge: -\(\frac{1}{3}e\) - Participates in the strong nuclear force 3. Charm Quark (c): - Mass: Approximately \(1.28\,\text{GeV/c}^2\) - Electric Charge: +\(\frac{2}{3}e\) - Participates in the strong nuclear force 4. Strange Quark (s): - Mass: Approximately \(95\,\text{MeV/c}^2\) - Electric Charge: -\(\frac{1}{3}e\) - Participates in the strong nuclear force 5. Top Quark (t): - Mass: Approximately \(173.1\,\text{GeV/c}^2\) - Electric Charge: +\(\frac{2}{3}e\) - Participates in the strong nuclear force 6. Bottom Quark (b): - Mass: Approximately \(4.18\,\text{GeV/c}^2\) - Electric Charge: -\(\frac{1}{3}e\) - Participates in the strong nuclear force

Lastly, it is important to understand how quarks combine to form the protons and neutrons found in atomic nuclei. A proton consists of two Up quarks and one Down quark (uud), while a neutron consists of two Down quarks and one Up quark (udd). Through the strong nuclear force, quarks are held together within these particles, allowing them to form the atomic nuclei that make up the matter around us.