ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Top quark

The top quark is a very small piece that makes up everything around us. It's so small that you can't even see it with your eyes or even with a microscope. It belongs to a family of particles called quarks, which are like building blocks for matter.

Now, imagine a big city filled with people. Just like how people have different jobs, the different types of quarks also have their own special jobs. The top quark, in particular, is the heaviest and strongest of all the quarks. It likes to hang out with the bottom quark, which is its best friend.

Scientists use big machines called particle accelerators to study these tiny particles. They smash particles together at super high speeds and watch what comes out to understand how everything works. They discovered the top quark in the 1990s, and it was a really big deal because it helped scientists understand more about how the universe began and how it works.

So, just remember, the top quark is a tiny, strong particle that is part of everything around us, and it has an important job in helping scientists understand the universe.
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