The quest to identify the fundamental constituents of matter has evolved, beginning with the assumption that atoms are indivisible. Through scientific progress, it has become clear that atoms themselves can be divided into nuclei and electrons, while nucleons can further split into quarks and gluons. Despite our advancements, the true nature of particles classified within the Standard Model, such as quarks and electrons, raises questions about their divisibility. Recent imaging techniques allow us to visualize atomic arrangements, expanding our understanding of matter at molecular levels.
When you reached your limit, and found a component that was no longer splittable into anything smaller, that would serve as the best approximation of 'fundamental' you could arrive at.
Today, we know that atoms themselves aren't truly indivisible, but can be split into nuclei and electrons, and while we cannot split the electron, nuclei can be broken up into protons and neutrons.
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