Baryons are a type of subatomic particle that make up the majority of visible matter in the universe. They are composed of three quarks, which are elementary particles that come in six different flavors: up, down, charm, strange, top, and bottom.
Baryons are distinct from other particles because they are made up of three quarks, while other particles such as mesons are made up of two quarks. Baryons also have a baryon number of +1, which means they are fermions (particles with half-integer spin) and are subject to the Pauli exclusion principle.
There are many different types of baryons, including protons and neutrons (the most common baryons found in everyday matter), as well as more exotic particles such as delta baryons and lambda baryons. These particles differ in their specific combinations of quark flavors.
Baryons interact with other particles through the strong nuclear force, which is one of the four fundamental forces of nature. This force is responsible for holding the quarks together within the baryon, and also for holding baryons together in the nucleus of an atom.
Yes, there are still many unanswered questions and mysteries surrounding baryons and their quark constituents. For example, scientists are still trying to understand how and why the three quarks within a baryon are bound together, and there is ongoing research to discover new types of baryons and investigate their properties.