CPB - The Mechanical Universe…and Beyond (1986) Part 51 Atoms to Quark

The Mechanical Universe…and Beyond

This series helps teachers demystify physics by showing students what it looks like. Field trips to hot-air balloon events, symphony concerts, bicycle shops, and other locales make complex concepts more accessible. Inventive computer graphics illustrate abstract concepts such as time, force, and capacitance, while historical re-enactments of the studies of Newton, Leibniz, Maxwell, and others trace the evolution of theories. The Mechanical Universe helps meet different students' needs, from the basic requirements of liberal arts students to the rigorous demands of science and engineering majors. This series is also valuable for teacher professional development.

Part 51: Atoms to Quarks

Electron waves confined by electric attraction to the nucleus help resolve the dilemma of the atom and account for the periodic table of the elements. Nucleons themselves obey a kind of period table, following inner rules that lead to the idea of quarks.