• Question: what happens when you smash the particles together?

    Asked by tarin to Lily on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by exorcist.
    • Photo: Lily Asquith

      Lily Asquith answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      The protons we smash together are made up of other, smaller particles called quarks and gluons.

      When the protons collide it forces two or more of these smaller particles to interact with each other. The protons are disturbed, broken up, and the energy that was holding them together is released.

      As well as real particles, the universe is full of ghostly `virtual particles’ that are seething under the surface of reality, but don’t have enought energy to quite exist.

      When the energy is released from the proton collison the virtual particles have a chance to exist. If they can pop into reality for just long enough to grab hold of some of the energy, they become real. This is how new particles are created.

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