Is baryonium fermion or meson?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the classification of baryonium, specifically whether it should be considered a baryon or a meson. Participants explore the properties of related particles, such as deuterium and bound states of baryons, in the context of their spin and baryon number.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if baryonium is a baryon or meson, presenting examples like deuterium and the bound state of \Lambda_c and \bar{\Lambda_c} to illustrate their reasoning.
  • Another participant explains the definitions of fermions, bosons, mesons, and baryons, emphasizing that being a boson does not imply a particle is a baryon.
  • A different participant asserts that deuterons are neither baryons nor mesons, as they consist of two baryons, each made of three quarks.
  • The original question is reiterated, with emphasis on the properties of deuterium and the \Lambda_c - \bar{\Lambda_c} pair, suggesting that mesons have baryon number zero.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the classification of baryonium and related particles, with no consensus reached on whether baryonium is a baryon or a meson.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference baryon number and spin properties, but there are unresolved definitions and classifications that may affect the discussion.

BuckeyePhysicist
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Is a baryonium baryon or meson?

For example, deutorium, a n-p bound-state, has total spin 0 pr 1, so it is boson, then, it is meson? But it has baryon number (3+3)/3=2.

For another example, bound-state of [tex]\Lambda_c - \bar{\Lambda_c}[/tex], has total spin 0 or 1, so again it is boson, it is meson? But it has baryon number (3-3)/3=0.
 
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Fermions are particles with half integer spins. Bosons are particles with integer spins.

Mesons are particles that are composed of a quark-antiquark bound state.
Baryons are composed of 3 quarks (anti-baryons are composed of 3 anti-quarks).

So... just because a particle is a boson does not automatically make it a baryon.

This is similar to an argument about geometric shapes. All squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares, there is an additional constraint on a square- all its sides must be the same length.

I hope this helps.
 
It is relevant. But it does not answer the question.
Thank you any way.
 
Deuterons are neither baryons nor mesons. They are made up of two baryons, each of which is made up of three quarks. As Norman mentioned mesons are made up of quark-antiquark pairs.
 
BuckeyePhysicist said:
Is a baryonium baryon or meson?

For example, deutorium, a n-p bound-state, has total spin 0 pr 1, so it is boson, then, it is meson? But it has baryon number (3+3)/3=2.

For another example, bound-state of [tex]\Lambda_c - \bar{\Lambda_c}[/tex], has total spin 0 or 1, so again it is boson, it is meson? But it has baryon number (3-3)/3=0.
d is not a meson.
Mesons have baron number zero.
L-Lbar is a boson and a meson.
 

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