baryonë

A baryon is a composite subatomic particle made up of an odd number of quarks. The most common baryons are protons and neutrons, which form the nucleus of an atom. Quarks are fundamental particles that are held together by the strong nuclear force, mediated by particles called gluons. Baryons are classified as hadrons, a broader category of composite particles that includes mesons, which are made of an even number of quarks and antiquarks. There are many different types of baryons, categorized by their quark content. For example, a baryon containing three 'up' quarks is called a Delta baryon. Baryons are subject to the strong interaction, the weak interaction, and the electromagnetic and gravitational interactions. They are unstable, except for the proton, which is thought to be stable or have an extremely long half-life. Neutrons, while stable within atomic nuclei, decay when free. The study of baryons is a fundamental part of particle physics and helps us understand the structure and behavior of matter at its most basic level.