The scientific explanation for why everything is made up of tiny particles is based on our current understanding of the fundamental nature of matter and the structure of the universe. This explanation is rooted in the field of physics, particularly quantum mechanics and the Standard Model of particle physics.
According to the Standard Model, all matter in the universe is composed of fundamental particles. These particles are the building blocks of everything we see around us, including atoms, molecules, and larger structures. The most familiar examples of fundamental particles are electrons, which are negatively charged, and protons and neutrons, which make up the nucleus of an atom.
The idea that matter is made up of particles originated from ancient Greek philosophers, but it took centuries of scientific investigation to develop our modern understanding. In the early 20th century, experiments such as the discovery of the electron by J.J. Thomson and the experiments on radioactivity by Ernest Rutherford provided evidence for the existence of subatomic particles.
However, the concept of particles became more complex with the development of quantum mechanics. According to this branch of physics, particles exhibit both particle-like and wave-like properties. They can exist in multiple states simultaneously and can behave probabilistically rather than deterministically.
Quantum field theory, which combines quantum mechanics and special relativity, provides a framework for describing the behavior of particles and their interactions. It posits that particles are excitations of underlying quantum fields that permeate all of space. These fields are associated with different types of particles, and their interactions give rise to the forces and properties we observe in nature.
So, in summary, the scientific explanation for why everything is made up of particles is based on our current understanding of fundamental physics. These particles are the fundamental building blocks of matter, and their behavior is described by quantum mechanics and the Standard Model of particle physics.