Kernpartikels

Kernpartikels is a term used in Dutch to refer to the constituents of atomic nuclei, typically protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons. Each nucleon has spin 1/2 and is composed of three valence quarks bound by gluons, described by quantum chromodynamics. Protons carry a +1 elementary charge; neutrons are neutral. Their combined mass and charge determine the nucleus.

The strong nuclear force binds nucleons in the nucleus; it's a residual effect of the underlying QCD interactions between quarks. The exchange of mesons, especially pions, is one effective description of this force. Nuclear models include the shell model, which treats nucleons in quantum states, and the liquid-drop model, which emphasizes collective properties.

Nucleons have internal structure revealed by high-energy scattering; parton distributions describe quarks and gluons inside protons and neutrons. Form factors, masses, and magnetic moments reflect this structure.

Nucleon excitations, like Delta resonances, occur at higher energies. In practical terms, kernpartikels dictate isotope stability, decay modes such as beta decay, and energy release in fission and fusion.

Measurement and study: experiments with accelerators and detectors probe nucleon properties and their interactions; observations inform nuclear physics, astrophysics, and applications in medicine and energy.