Hadrons: Baryons & Mesons
Hadrons: Baryons & Mesons
- Quarks join together in two ways. The particles they make are called hadrons.
Baryons and mesons
Definition
1 markWhat is meant by hadron?
Model answer: A particle made of quarks.
Definition
1 markWhat is meant by baryon?
Model answer: A hadron made of three quarks.
Definition
1 markWhat is meant by meson?
Model answer: A hadron made of one quark and one antiquark.
- The charges must add up to the charge of the whole particle, and that alone tells you the recipe. A proton () is two ups and a down: .
- A neutron () is one up and two downs: .
Adding up the charge
- Build a particle below and watch the charge add up. Try a proton (uud), a neutron (udd), and a meson (one quark and one antiquark).
Build a particle from quarks
No quarks yet.
Total charge: 0Pick some quarks to build a particle.
Your turn9702-style
A particle has quark composition uud. Identify the particle, state its hadron type and calculate its charge. [3]
Show worked answer
It is a proton. Three quarks make it a baryon, and its charge is +2/3e + 2/3e - 1/3e = +1e.