The Standard Model refers to the best 'model' of matter we have from current research based on the particles things are made from and how they interact. It also describes and explains three of the four known fundamental forces: the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force and the electromagnetic force. It doesn’t describe or explain gravity.

According to the current standard model, there are two main groups of fundamental particles:

• fermions – the particles which make up matter
• bosons – the particles which give rise to forces