Particle physics deals with the elementary building blocks of matter and the forces that act between them. The study of subatomic particles began in 1896 with Henri Becquerel's discovery of radioactive radiation, J.J. Thomson's discovery of the electron as a constituent of the atom, followed by Ernest Rutherford's discovery in 1911 of the atomic nucleus.
With the further development of experimental methods and the advancement of theoretical understanding, the structure of matter, i.e. atoms, nuclei, nucleons, and finally quarks, could be discovered.
Quarks and leptons (the electron belongs to the lepton family) form the elementary building blocks from which matter in the universe is constructed.
- Docente: Hans Peter Beck
- Docente non editor: Augustin Muster