# Cheat sheet of elementary particles

I am trying to teach myself some particle physics.

There are too many particles and its too much for me.

I hated biology just because of this sort of stuff. Too many names and it was all Greek to me.

Is there a good cheat sheet/ reference sheet of elementary particles?

It will also be very helpful if you share how you people manage to remember these things.

This is the first time I have ever hated studying physics. :(

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How about these guys -- particlezoo.net ? By the way, just fundamental particles (there aren't that many of them there) or also composite particles (like protons)? –  Marek Aug 2 '11 at 12:58
okay, for composite particles it helps to understand Gell-mann's eightfold way: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eightfold_Way_%28physics%29 –  Marek Aug 2 '11 at 13:27
+ a million, I've always felt the same way! –  Alan Rominger Aug 2 '11 at 13:31
For a detailed listing, try Particle Data Group - Particle Listings –  Simon Aug 2 '11 at 13:38
Here is a handy Eightfold Way reference chart from an undergrad class I taught on particle physics: cl.ly/8yhy . Of course, it will only be useful if you understand what it represents! There is a good review in "Introduction to Elementary Particles" by Griffiths. –  Robert McNees Aug 2 '11 at 14:09

As for the field particles, there is one type for every force although it gets a bit more tricky with weak and strong forces. For EM we have the usual photon. Weak force will give us three more -- the $W^{\pm}$ and $Z$ which are massive -- and finally the strong force has eight massless gluons (of various colors).