particle
Bit of matter
A particle is a tiny piece or fragment of something—a speck so small it barely registers: particles of dust, a particle of truth.
In physics, particles are the fundamental units of matter and energy: electrons, protons, photons.
In grammar, particles are small functional words like "up" in "give up" or "to" in infinitives—words that don't fit neatly into major categories but do essential work.
Fundamental matter particle
- leptonFundamental particle without strong interactions
- bosonInteger-spin subatomic particle
- fermionHalf-integer spin particle
- neutrinoUncharged, near-massless particle
gluon · muon · tau · Higgs · hadron · meson · baryon · antiparticle
Minute visible particle
- fleckMinute spot or particle
- bitSmall amount or portion
- grainCereal plant's harvest unit
- moteTiny airborne particle
splinter · chip · shard · sliver · crumb · shred · scrap · morsel
Positive nuclear particle
- neutronUncharged nuclear particle
- electronNegative subatomic particle
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- ionCharged atom or molecule
isotope · nucleon · positron · photon · orbital · valence · shell · covalent
Floral reproductive grains
- sootCarbon from incomplete burning
- ashCombustion's powdery remains
- sandFine rock particles
- siltWaterborne earth particles
powder · flour · spore · dander · smoke · aerosol · smog · particulate
Distribution in many directions
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- diffractionWaves spreading past obstacles
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- beamStructural support member
detector · interaction · cross-section · flux · momentum · energy · mass · velocity
Quantum state's mathematical representation
- superpositionCoexisting in multiple states
- entanglementState of being intertwined
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- coherenceLogical internal consistency
decoherence · quantization · tunneling · quantum state · Heisenberg · Schrödinger · probability · interference
Attached function word
- encliticBound grammatical particle
- affixWord-part modifier
- morphemeSmallest meaningful language unit
- uninflectedWithout grammatical modification
quark
Fundamental matter particle
- leptonFundamental particle without strong interactions
- bosonInteger-spin subatomic particle
- fermionHalf-integer spin particle
neutrino · gluon · muon · tau · Higgs · hadron · meson · baryon · antiparticle · charm
speck
Minute visible particle
mote · splinter · chip · shard · sliver · crumb · shred · scrap · morsel · iota
proton
Positive nuclear particle
ion · isotope · nucleon · positron · photon · orbital · valence · shell · covalent · atomic mass
pollen
Floral reproductive grains
silt · powder · flour · spore · dander · smoke · aerosol · smog · particulate · airborne
scattering
Distribution in many directions
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- diffractionWaves spreading past obstacles
- trajectoryPath of moving object
beam · detector · interaction · cross-section · flux · momentum · energy · mass · velocity · wavelength
wavefunction
Quantum state's mathematical representation
- superpositionCoexisting in multiple states
- entanglementState of being intertwined
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
coherence · decoherence · quantization · tunneling · quantum state · Heisenberg · Schrödinger · probability · interference · measurement
clitic
Attached function word
particlewave
Oscillating motion through medium
field · continuum · radiation · wave function
- in particularFocusing on one instance
- particle boardEngineered wood from compressed chips
- subatomic particlesComponents smaller than atoms
- viral particlesComplete infectious agents
- dust particlesFine airborne matter
- beta particleEmitted electron or positron
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