meson

/'mi:zɔn/

Thân thiện

A scientist points to a diagram of a meson in a physics textbook.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • An elementary particle responsible for the forces in the atomic nucleus; a hadron with a baryon number of 0: A meson is a type of subatomic particle that acts as a carrier of the strong nuclear force, which binds protons and neutrons together within an atomic nucleus. It is classified as a hadron (a particle made of quarks) but, unlike protons and neutrons (which are baryons), it has a baryon number of zero.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The pion is the lightest type of meson.
  • Scientists study mesons to understand the strong force that holds nuclei together.
  • The discovery of the meson was a major milestone in particle physics.

Advanced Usage

• "Virtual meson": In quantum field theory, the force between nucleons (protons and neutrons) is described as being mediated by the continuous exchange of virtual mesons.
  • The strong nuclear force is explained by the exchange of virtual pions, which are mesons.

Variants and Related Words

• Pion (pi meson) (n): The most common type of meson, crucial for nuclear forces.
  • The pion was the first meson to be discovered.
• Kaon (K meson) (n): A heavier meson that can contain a strange quark.
  • Kaons were discovered in cosmic rays.
• Mesonic (adj): Relating to or characteristic of mesons.
  • The interaction has a mesonic component.

Synonyms

• None: In the specific context of particle physics, "meson" is a precise technical term with no true synonyms. Related categorical terms include hadron (a broader category) and boson (referring to its integer spin, but this category includes many non-mesons).

Related Phrases

• Meson theory of nuclear forces: A historical theory describing the strong interaction as mediated by meson exchange.
  • Yukawa's meson theory correctly predicted a new particle.
• Meson decay: The process by which an unstable meson transforms into other particles.
  • The mean lifetime of a charged pion is about 26 nanoseconds.

Related Idioms

• None: "Meson" is a scientific term and is not used in idiomatic expressions.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an elementary particle responsible for the forces in the atomic nucleus; a hadron with a baryon number of 0

Từ đồng nghĩa

• mesotron