baryon

American  

[bar-ee-on] / ˈbær iˌɒn /

noun

Physics.

1. a proton, neutron, or any elementary particle that decays into a set of particles that includes a proton.

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baryon British  

/ ˈbærɪˌɒn /

noun

1. any of a class of elementary particles that have a mass greater than or equal to that of the proton, participate in strong interactions, and have a spin of 1/ 2 . Baryons are either nucleons or hyperons. The baryon number is the number of baryons in a system minus the number of antibaryons

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baryon Scientific  

/ băr′ē-ŏn′ /

1. Any of a family of subatomic particles composed of three quarks or three antiquarks. They are generally more massive than mesons, and interact with each other via the strong force. Baryons form a subclass of hadrons and are subdivided into nucleons and hyperons. Protons and neutrons are baryons.

2. See Table at subatomic particle

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Other Word Forms

• baryonic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of baryon

1950–55; < Greek barý ( s ) heavy + (fermi)on

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

baryon

"Using data collected from different types of particle collisions at RHIC, our results suggest that the baryon number is not simply carried by individual quarks," Xu added.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

That left an important question: What was carrying the extra baryon number?

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

Rather than the valence quarks carrying baryon number, the junction itself could be responsible.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

At the same time, the three-pronged gluon junction could behave somewhat like a Y-shaped magnet, drawing in three newly created quarks from the vacuum and producing a new baryon.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

The fact that so many of these baryons emerge perpendicular to the beamline provides strong evidence, according to the researchers, that the baryon junction exists and plays an important role in transporting baryon number.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026