parton

Definition

A theoretical subatomic constituent of hadrons, such as protons and neutrons, now identified as either quarks or gluons.

Etymology

Coined by American physicist Richard Feynman in 1969, the word is derived from 'part' combined with the suffix '-on', which is commonly used in physics for subatomic particles.

In the news

In the article, the term refers collectively to quarks and gluons, which are typically confined within larger particles but are freed into a plasma state under extreme energy conditions.

Earth's largest particle accelerator opens new window into the early universe just after the Big Bang: 'A culmination of a decades-long quest'

Space

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