Everything in the world is made up of molecules. Our bodies, our clothes, our houses, animals, plants, air, water, sky- everything. Molecules are so small, through that we can't see them with our naked eyes.
But molecules aren't the smallest things. Molecules are made up of atoms, which are even smaller. Atoms are so small that it would take more than a billion atoms to fill the space taken up by one pea!
The word 'atom' comes from the Greek word atomos, meaning 'indivisible'. But despite what their name suggests, atoms can indeed be divided into smaller pieces. Each atom has a core, called a 'necleus'. Around the nucleus swarm tiny particles called 'electrones'. The nucleus itself it made up of other small particles called 'protons' and 'neutrons'. And these protons and neutrones are made up of even smaller things called 'quarks'. So for now at least quarks are among the smallest known things in the universe.
DID YOU KNOW?
Quarks are so small that scientists have to make up new ways to describe them. They talk about the different 'flavours' of quarks-not chocolate or pistachio but 'up' , 'down', 'charm', 'strange', 'top', and bottom.
Quesion:
Atoms are the smallest things of all. True or false?
Ans: FALSE. Atoms can be split into electrones, neutrones, and protons, all of which are smaller than an atom itself. And quarks are even smaller still.
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