Science
What is a quark?
A quark is one of the tiniest known building blocks of matter, combining to form protons and neutrons. Quarks come in six 'flavors' and are never found alone — they're bound together by the strongest force in nature.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a quark.
Key things to understand
- 1It's a fundamental particle, not made of anything smaller.
- 2Quarks combine in threes to form protons and neutrons.
- 3They come in six types ('flavors'): up, down, charm, strange, top, bottom.
- 4They're bound by the strong force and can't be isolated.
- 5Everyday matter is made mostly of 'up' and 'down' quarks.
Frequently asked questions
- What are quarks?
- Fundamental particles that combine to make protons and neutrons; they're among the smallest known building blocks of matter.
- Can a quark exist alone?
- No — the strong force binds quarks so tightly that they're never found in isolation, only in groups.
- How many types of quarks are there?
- Six 'flavors': up, down, charm, strange, top, and bottom, though ordinary matter uses just up and down.