baryon

[ bar-ee-on ]

noun

, Physics.

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

baryon

/ 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

baryon

/ 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

Other Words From

• bar·y·on·ic [bar-ee-, on, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of baryon¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of baryon¹

C20: bary- , from Greek barus heavy + -on

Example Sentences

Among those particles were hydrogen and helium nuclei, collectively called baryons.

From Science Daily

Sound waves reverberated through the gas like ripples in a pond, causing baryons to clump together, forming the seeds of future galaxies and clusters of galaxies.

From Science Magazine

BAO stands for “baryon acoustic oscillation,” a sort of frozen sound wave created by processes near the dawn of time.

From Scientific American

It is believed to be a baryon acoustic oscillation, a pressure wave frozen in time from the beginning of the cosmos and then stretched out to galactic scales by the universe’s expansion.

From Scientific American

Lambda particles are baryons, which means they’re a type of hadron made of three quarks: one up quark, one down quark and one strange quark.

From Scientific American