hypercharge

American  

[hahy-per-chahrj] / ˈhaɪ pərˌtʃɑrdʒ /

noun

Physics.

1. a quantum number assigned to baryons and mesons, equal to B + S, where B is the baryon number and S is the strangeness.

2. the quantum number equal to B + S + C, where C is the charm.

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hypercharge British  

/ ˈhaɪpəˌtʃɑːdʒ /

noun

1. a property of baryons that is used to account for the absence of certain strong interaction decays

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Etymology

Origin of hypercharge

First recorded in 1955–60; hyper- + charge

Example Sentences

Five years later, Purdue University Physics Professor Ephraim Fischbach measured a weak force he called "hypercharge" and theorized that it caused objects of different composition to fall at different rates.

From Time Magazine Archive

If Fischbach is proved right, his hypothetical force, which he calls hypercharge, would be the fifth known basic force.

From Time Magazine Archive