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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Baryons and Mesons?

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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.

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  • What is the Difference Between Baryons and Mesons?
  • Comparative Table: Baryons vs Mesons

    • 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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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.