What are the charge options for baryons?

In summary, a baryon may have a charge of -1/3 e, 0 e, 2/3 e, or 4/3 e. Protons and neutrons are two examples of baryons with charges of 1 e and 0 e, respectively.
  • #1
NYROCKFAN
34
0
A baryon may have a charge of:

a) -1/3 e
b) 0 e
c) 2/3 e
d) 4/3 e

I have no idea what a baryon is... and I've spent over 20 minutes online trying to answer this simple question.
 
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  • #3
Ok... I read that but I still don't get it.
 
  • #4
My guess would be choice b) 0 e.

Am I correct?
 
  • #5
<looks at cyby and asks> "Are you stalking me?" :)

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/particles/hadron.html

Read under "Baryon", and look at the two EXAMPLES of baryons that were given. Anything more, I might as well do this problem for you and you would have learned nothing.

Zz.

P.S. Did you miss the "Homework Zone" section when looking for a place to post this?
 
  • #6
I did read... they're protons and neutrons. So, that's why I asked "Is it 0 e?" for a neutron.
 
  • #7
And this isn't homework... it's in a review packet for my final exam, but the packet is all the things he didn't teach us that we might need to know.
 
  • #8
Well, what are the charges of the baryons listed? Since you know that two examples of them are neutrons and protons, you can easily deduce their charge quantities...
 

1. What is a baryon?

A baryon is a subatomic particle that is composed of three quarks, which are elementary particles that make up protons and neutrons.

2. What does it mean for a baryon to have a charge?

A charge refers to the electrical property of a particle. Baryons can have positive, negative, or neutral charges depending on the combination of quarks they are made of.

3. How is the charge of a baryon determined?

The charge of a baryon is determined by the sum of the charges of its three quarks. The up quark has a charge of +2/3, the down quark has a charge of -1/3, and the strange quark has a charge of -1/3.

4. Can a baryon have a fractional charge?

No, a baryon cannot have a fractional charge because quarks always have integer charges. The fractional charges of quarks are only apparent when they combine to form particles with charges that are multiples of 1/3.

5. Why is the charge of a baryon important?

The charge of a baryon is important because it determines how the particle interacts with other particles and electromagnetic fields. It also plays a role in the formation of atoms and the stability of matter.

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