Hadron

In physics, a hadron is a subatomic particle composed of quark fermions and gluon bosons, or their antimatter partners. The gluons mediate the strong nuclear force that binds the quarks together.

Hadrons are further classified by their quark content.

• Baryons contain three quarks each.
  • Nucleons are the proton and the neutron, both part of atomic nuclei. When a neutron exists outside a nucleus it is classified as either a fast neutron or a thermal neutron.
  • Hyperons such as the Δ, Λ, Σ, Ξ, and Ω particles are generally short-lived and heavier than nucleons. They do not normally appear in atomic nuclei.
• Mesons are built from a quark and an antiquark, and include the pions, the kaons, and many other types of mesons. The strong force between the protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus is mediated by mesons.
• Exotic baryons have been discovered only recently.
  • Tetraquark particles consist of two quarks and two antiquarks.
  • Pentaquark particles consist of four quarks and one antiquark.

• Large Hadron Collider
• List of particles