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What happens to the electrons, protons, neutrons and photons that exist in living beings when they die?

Pat French
Telford, Shropshire, UK

Short answer – nothing. It is the molecules that are made up of atoms that change after death. The atoms are simply rearranged in less ordered ways. This is called decay and, ultimately, entropy.

Atoms will remain practically unchanged for much of the life of the universe. They will quite possibly become parts of other molecules, only to break down and combine yet again.

For example, a potato contains billions of carbon atoms. It dies when you fry…