Lambda0

Lambda0, often written as $\Lambda^0$, is a subatomic particle belonging to the baryon family. Baryons are composite particles made up of three quarks. Specifically, the Lambda0 is a neutral hyperon, meaning it contains one strange quark in addition to the usual two lighter quarks, typically an up and a down quark. The quark composition of the Lambda0 is thus uds.

This particle was discovered in 1947. Lambda0 is a member of the baryon decuplet, a group of related particles arranged in a specific pattern based on their quantum numbers. It is the lightest of the hyperons and is also the lightest particle containing a strange quark. The Lambda0 has a spin of 1/2 and a positive parity.

The Lambda0 is an unstable particle, decaying into lighter particles. Its primary decay modes include a decay into a proton and a pion ($\Lambda^0 \to p + \pi^-$), or a decay into a neutron and a neutral pion ($\Lambda^0 \to n + \pi^0$). The average lifetime of the Lambda0 is very short, on the order of $10^{-10}$ seconds.

Due to its instability, Lambda0 particles are not typically found in everyday matter. They are produced in high-energy particle collisions, such as those that occur in particle accelerators or in cosmic ray interactions. Studying the properties and decays of Lambda0 particles provides valuable insights into the fundamental forces and particles of the universe, particularly the nature of the strong nuclear force and the behavior of strange quarks.