1. What are Baryons?
Baryons are a class of hadrons that are composed of three quarks (qqq). They interact through the strong nuclear force, which is mediated by gluons.
Baryons are not elementary particles and form the basic constituents of ordinary matter.
2. Quark Structure of Baryons
Each baryon consists of three quarks, which may be up (u), down (d), strange (s), charm (c), bottom (b), or top (t).
| Baryon | Quark Content | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Proton (p) | uud | +1 |
| Neutron (n) | udd | 0 |
| Lambda (Λ⁰) | uds | 0 |
3. Types of Baryons
(a) Nucleons
Nucleons are baryons found in the nucleus of atoms.
- Proton
- Neutron
(b) Hyperons
Hyperons are baryons that contain one or more strange quarks and are heavier than nucleons.
- Lambda (Λ)
- Sigma (Σ)
- Xi (Ξ)
- Omega (Ω)
4. Properties of Baryons
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Baryon Number | +1 |
| Spin | Half-integer (fermions) |
| Mass | Large compared to leptons |
| Charge | +1, 0 or −1 |
| Stability | Only proton is stable |
5. Interactions of Baryons
Baryons participate in the following interactions:
- Strong interaction (dominant)
- Electromagnetic interaction (if charged)
- Weak interaction (radioactive decay)
- Gravitational interaction
6. Importance of Baryons
Baryons constitute nearly all visible matter in the universe. Protons and neutrons form atomic nuclei, while heavier baryons help in understanding fundamental symmetries and interactions.
🔹 All baryons are fermions
🔹 Baryons obey Pauli’s exclusion principle
🔹 Baryons are composite particles