What is the Difference Between Baryons and Mesons?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between baryons and mesons lies in their composition and classification:
- Baryons are subatomic particles made up of three quarks. They are classified as fermions because they have a half-integer spin. Baryons include protons and neutrons, which are fundamental constituents of atomic nuclei.
- Mesons are subatomic particles composed of a quark and an antiquark pair. They are classified as bosons because they have an integer spin. Mesons are intermediate mass particles, and some examples include pions and kaons.
Both baryons and mesons are types of hadrons, which are particles made up of quarks and interact via the strong force. However, they differ in their quark composition and classification, with baryons consisting of three quarks and mesons consisting of a quark-antiquark pair.
Comparative Table: Baryons vs Mesons
Here is a table summarizing the differences between baryons and mesons:
Property | Baryons | Mesons |
---|---|---|
Composition | Made up of three quarks | Made up of a quark-antiquark pair |
Subatomic Particles | Proton, neutron, lambda, sigma, xi, and omega particles | Pions, kaons, and etas |
Quantum Numbers | Baryon number (B) = 1, and spin (S) = -1 times the number of strange quarks | No baryon number, and spin is always integer |
Fermions/Bosons | Fermions | Bosons |
Charge | Positive, neutral, or negative | Neutral or positive |
Both baryons and mesons are hadrons, which are particles that interact through the strong force. However, they have distinct differences in their composition, quantum numbers, and properties.
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