3.2.1.5 - Classification of Particles Flashcards
What is a hadron?
Particles which feel the strong interaction.
What are hadrons made up of?
Smaller particles called quarks.
What are the two types of hadron?
Baryons and mesons.
What are protons and neutrons?
Baryons.
What are all baryons?
All baryons except protons decay into a proton.
What are the antiparticles of protons and neutrons?
Antibaryons.
What is interesting about antibaryons?
You don’t find them in ordinary matter.
What is the baryon number?
The number of baryons.
What are the baryon numbers of the proton and neutron?
+1
What is the baryon number of the antibaryon?
-1
If something isn’t a baryon what is its baryon number?
0
In an interaction what must the baryon number be?
Conserved.
What can you use the baryon number to predict?
Whether an interaction will happen.
What is the equation for neutron decay?
-
n -> p + e- + ν
What are all mesons?
Unstable and have a baryon number of 0.
What are pions?
The lightest mesons.
What are the three versions of pion?
π+, π-, π0
How are kaons different to pions?
They are heavier and more unstable than pions.
What do kaons decay into?
Pions
Where were kaons and pions discovered?
In cosmic rays.
What is a source of kaons and pions?
Cosmic ray showers.
How do mesons interact with baryons?
Via the strong interaction.
How are leptons different to hadrons?
They don’t feel the strong interaction.
How do leptons interact with other particles?
Using the weak interactions.