baryon

noun
bary·​on | \ ˈber-ē-ˌän How to pronounce baryon (audio) , ˈba-rē-\

Definition of baryon

: any of a group of subatomic particles (such as nucleons) that are subject to the strong force and are composed of three quarks

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from baryon

baryonic \ ˌber-​ē-​ˈä-​nik How to pronounce baryonic (audio) , ˌba-​rē-​ \ adjective

Examples of baryon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The lightest pentaquark has a mass just below the sum of a particular baryon and meson that together contain the correct quark ingredients. Adrian Cho, Science | AAAS, "Exotic particles called pentaquarks may be less weird than previously thought," 5 June 2019 By a conventional Standard Model process, the antilepton excess would then have cascaded into a one-part-per-billion excess of baryons (protons and neutrons) over antibaryons. Quanta Magazine, "Search Escalates for Key to Why Matter Exists," 15 Oct. 2013 That suggests each pentaquark is just a baryon bound to a meson, with a tiny bit of mass taken up in binding energy. Adrian Cho, Science | AAAS, "Exotic particles called pentaquarks may be less weird than previously thought," 5 June 2019 The heavier pentaquarks have masses just below the sum of the same baryon and a related meson with extra internal energy. Adrian Cho, Science | AAAS, "Exotic particles called pentaquarks may be less weird than previously thought," 5 June 2019 In other words, the ratio of baryons, which include protons and neutrons, to photons, which light is made of, would have to shrink. Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, "Why Alternate Universes Might Also Host Life Around their Stars," 26 Sep. 2018 Dark matter makes up about 27 percent of the universe, but scientists know little about it except that it’s not made of normal matter particles called baryons. Washington Post, "Astronomers glimpse cosmic dawn, when the stars switched on," 28 Feb. 2018 But by corralling huge numbers of baryons together, the people behind Super-Kamiokande hoped to spot one decaying much sooner, in just a few years. The Economist, "Particle physicsFundamental physics is frustrating physicists," 13 Jan. 2018 Magazines, screens, and air are made of atoms, and atoms are largely made of protons and neutrons – which are the most familiar examples of the three-quark bundles that physicists call baryons. Charlie Wood, The Christian Science Monitor, "Fusion breakthrough explained: What are quarks again?," 11 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'baryon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of baryon

1953, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for baryon

Greek barýs "heavy" + -on entry 2 — more at grieve

Keep scrolling for more